Coming to Quang Tri is a land of historical relics – a testament to a painful and heroic war period of the nation. Lao Bao prison is one of the important monuments of the province and also a famous tourist destination.
Quang Tri tourism is increasingly developing and becoming the destination of many tourists from near and far. This place not only has natural landscapes but also has relics of great historical significance. One of them is theLao Bao prisonrelic, where the patriotic revolutionary soldiers are kept together with the extreme brutality that this place is called as “hell on earth”.
Visit Lao Bao prison
Lao Bao prison is one of the largest prisons in Indochina, where in the past there were many revolutionary soldiers and senior leaders of our state government. On January 25, 1991, Lao Bao prison was recognized as a national-level historical and cultural relic.
Lao Bao Prison is one of the largest prisons in Indochina
This prison is located at the end of Le The Tiet Street of Lao Bao town, Huong Hoa district. This place is only about 2km from Highway 9, the prison is built in the middle of a valley located only about 80km from Dong Ha, more than 20km from Khe Sanh. This place was previously considered a sacred forest of poisonous water, the North was Tran Cao fortress to worship Nguyen Church, the West was the Se Lon River, and the East was towering mountain direction.
This prison is located at the end of Le The Tiet Street of Lao Bao town, Huong Hoa district
A dark period at Lao Bao prison
Under the Nguyen Dynasty, this place was a fortress to guard and protect a part of the western border of Dai Nam. By 1908, Lao Bao prison was built about 10ha and completely isolated from other residential areas. At that time, this place was mainly used to detain common criminals along with anti-French patriots of the Can Vuong movement.
A dark period at Lao Bao Prison!
From 1929 to 1930, Lao Bao prison was expanded further to detain communist prisoners. The French colonialists used this place to imprison communists operating in Quang Tri such as Le The Tiet, Tran Huu Duc, Tran Cong Ai, Le The Hieu, Doan Lan, … or even soldiers operating in Central Vietnam like To Huu, Nguyen Chi Thanh, … and the Laotians.
By the 60s of the last century, the Southern Vietnam Liberation Front had turned this place into a revolutionary base in the road campaign – Khe Sanh. To smash this stronghold, the US imperialists used the air force to bomb Lao Bao prison and almost erased this relic.
The US Empire used the air force to bomb Lao Bao prison and almost erased this whole relic
At the time of construction, this place was only 2 rows of wooden houses that were roofed with tile, divided into 2 zones of Lao A and Lao B. Each block was only about 5 meters wide, 15 meters long, 2 meters high. Each house like that can hold up to 60 prisoners. Later, this place was expanded to many small houses such as: kitchen, water filter tower, 5 cells, toilets. Each prison is more than 6 meters wide, 30 meters long and can hold up to 180 prisoners. In particular, the solitary confinement area has 13 rooms, each room is 1 meter wide and 2 meters high. All of these works are secured by a system of solid walls 3.5 meters high and many blocks in the corners. If confined here, the prisoner can only see the sky from the window above, but other than that. 
Later, this place was expanded to many small houses such as kitchen, water filter tower, 5 cells, toilets.
In addition to the prison areas, Lao Bao prison also has other extremely cruel detention places such as the mortuary, torture house, interrogation, … located in the southeast corner of the prison or the steel wire house, The carpentry workshop, the barracks, … The punishments and brutal tortures of the French colonialists such as chains, shackles, … were extremely cruel to suppress and kill our patriotic forces. .
As of 1945, at Lao Bao prison there were more than 350 exiled political prisoners. Many Communist Party members died because they could not withstand the brutal tortures that tortured the human body or else the harsh climate, wild mosquitoes, flash floods, … have turned this place into Hell on earth with people from the revolution.
Looking back to a time of bloody war!
Over 40 years of existence, Lao Bao prison, though much destroyed by time, many works have been repaired and preserved by Quang Tri government to this day. Some works that you can visit when coming to the prison such as galleries, monuments cluster, beer houses, … 
Some works that you can visit when coming to the prison such as galleries, monuments cluster, beer houses, …
Visiting here you will feel the brutality of the French colonial period, but the indomitable spirit, the fierce struggle of our people at that time. Despite such hardship and difficulties, but still one mind towards the homeland, towards the Fatherland to fulfill their ideals! What a lesson for us – generations to live in peace, reminding us of a time of bloody war, wartime heroes who fell to defend independence and freedom. How’s the Fatherland!
So far, Lao Bao prison has welcomed many tourists from all over the world
So far, Lao Bao prison has welcomed many tourists from all over the world. Along with other historical relics such as Quang Tri Ancient Citadel, Vinh Moc Tunnel, the gentle banks of Luong – Ben Hai river, … has become one of the destinations that tourists can not miss when to Quang Tri!