WELL-KNOWN CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS OF CON DAO ISLAND (P2)

Tuesday - 29/09/2020 06:40

For 113 years, Con Dao - “hell on earth” imprisoned the thousands of Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers, of which more than 20,000 patriots died for the country here. And also during those 113 years, Con Dao became a place for refining resilience and indomitable will and a revolutionary school of the communists and Vietnamese patriots. “Con Dao has become a majestic monument of patriotism and revolutionary optimism of many prisoners who have been present and rested forever here, and it is a destination to show the respect and admiration of the people and international friends today ”

7. Relic of Ma Thien Lanh Bridge

From the center of Con Dao town, on Vo Thi Sau street to the end, visitors will follow a small road to the relic of Ma Thien Lanh Bridge. Ma Thien Lanh Bridge was built in 1930, where there are still two abutments under construction. The French colonialists opened the road from Chua mountain junction to Bai Ong Dung to exploit trees and stones for prison construction, detention centers, offices etc and set up checkpoints to prevent prisoners from escaping. Due to the dangerous mountainous terrain, heavy tuberculosis, hunger, and disease, there were 356 prisoners (which is only an estimate) resting here. Ma Thien Lanh is the name that the prisoner named after the mountain of Ma Thien Lanh of Korea. Ma Thien Lanh bridge relic was recognized by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 548 / QD-TTg on May 10, 2012 as a Special National Monument.
8. Relic of Lo Voi

Located on Nguyen Van Cu Street, from the center you can travel by car to visit Lo Voi Relic. This is one of 18 places of hardship built by the French colonialists in order to fully exploit the labor force of prisoners. Lo Voi was built in 1864, specializing in burning corals to supply the whole island. There were 4-5 teams mainly looking after burner block, hard-labour prisoners was devided into 2 teams: Coral sea diving team, each month there must be 4 coral barges and a team of 12 people specializing in bringing corals to the kiln into lime to build houses, bridges and roads. This place is considered as an indictment of the prisoner's labor exploitation policy. On the evening of the hard work, the prisoner was locked in cold, starvation, with insufficient food to eat, not enough clothes to wear, prisoners could die at any time. Entering the period of American imperialism, this prison became a stationary place and was built an additional house in this area. Lo Voi relic was recognized by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 548 / QD-TTg on May 10, 2012 as a Special National Monument.
9. Chuong Bo relic

From the center of Con Dao town, tourists go along Vo Thi Sau street to Chuong Bo relic, a prison was built by the French colonialists in 1930, used to detain prisoners in this department, including 09 detention rooms. Next to it, there is 24 pig-raising compartments andt there are two cages with a cellar for manure and wastewater from the barn opposite. Entering the period of American imperialism, this place was used to detain political prisons against saluting flags, which were forbidden to try and have paralytic atrophy for a long time. Since 1973, Chuong Bo has been the office of the Sub-Committee of Investigation and Mining under the Specialization Committee. Prisoners suspected of fighting activities were brought here to ask. The specialist board applied many forms of brutal investigations such as beating with firewood, splinting two bamboo sticks to the legs etc. Many prisoners were paralyzed, crippled by torture and exile regime there. Chuong Bo relic was recognized by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 548 / QD-TTg on May 10, 2012 as a Special National Monument.
10. Relic of Phu Tho camp
Located on Nguyen Van Cu Street, visitors can walk or travel by car to visit the relic of Phu Tho camp with another name is Banh III. Phu Tho camp was built by the French in 1928. Here, comrade Vu Van Hieu, the first Secretary of the Hon Gai mines, took his last breath in the restraining room. At the moment of death, comrade handed the shirt to his friend Le Duan with his words: "Try to live and serve the revolution". Martyr Vu Van Hieu has become a symbol of the communists: "Living for the party - dying but not leaving the Party", and became the inspiration for the artist creating "The Statue of shirt-giving" through the verse:
"Death but taking off each other's shirt
The bowl of rice to warm up the next person to warm up".
(To Huu)
Phu Tho camp relic was recognized by the Prime Minister on Decision No. 548 / QD-TTg on May 10, 2012..
11. Relic of Phu Tuong camp. Located on Nguyen Van Cu Street, visitors can walk or travel by car to visit the relic of Phu Tuong camp. Phu Tuong camp was built by the French colonialists in 1940, first called sub Banh III, also known as sub Lao III , Bac Ai sub-camp, camp IV and finally renamed Phu Tuong camp, with the total area of 5.804 square meterincludes: 8 cells divided into two rows. It is a place where the French colonialists and the American imperialists have imprisoned and exiled generations of Vietnamese soldiers, Vietnamese patriots, and is a place to show the brave and resilient fighting of the captives here. Phu Tuong relic was recognized by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 548 / QD-TTg on May 10, 2012 as a Special National Monument.
12. Relic of Phu Phong camp. Located on Nguyen Van Cu Street, visitors can walk or travel by car to visit the relic of Phu Phong camp, this is an independent prison not in the French Tiger CagesIn 1962, the US imperialists built camp V to expand the prison system. After the Paris agreement, it was renamed to Phu Phong camp, including 12 cells divided into three rows, each with 4 rooms and 1 kitchen with a total area of 3,594 square meter, roof made of fibro-cement, shielded in front of the French Tiger Cages. In 1965, the enemy detained a part of prisoners and detained civilians and sent to Con Dao. This is the place where many of the enemy's persecution took place, as well as a place to show off the resilient fighting spirit of the female inmates and prisoners detained here. Phu Tuong relic was recognized by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 548 / QD-TTg on May 10, 2012 as a Special National Monument.
13. Relic of Phu An camp. Tourists follow Nguyen Van Cu Street, go to a small road to visit the relics of Phu An camp. Phu An camp was built by the US, when it was first built, it was called camp 6, later renamed Phu An camp, consisting of 20 cells, divided into 2 zones: A and B, each zone had 10 rooms arranged in two opposite rows and has an isolated area of 4 cells. Total area 42,140 square meter. Unlike prisons built by the French colonialists, ancillary facilities such as kitchens, clinics, food and food storage are arranged in front of the camp gates, while the cells are hidden deep inside. A party committee named after the resilient soldier Luu Chi Hieu was established here on February 3, 1972. By the end of 1974, grasping the spirit of the Paris Agreement, the Party Committee and Party Committee of Luu Chi Hieu established the Military Committee, the Security Committee to prepare for the opportunity of self-liberation. Phu An relic was recognized by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 548 / QD-TTg on May 10, 2012 as a Special National Monument.