41. Chuong Bo Historical Relic

Dating back to the late 19^th century and spanning across 7,029m², the Chuong Bo Isolation Compound is alternatively known as “Cattle Barn Firewood Department,” “Cattle Barn Farm Department,” “Occupational Orientation Department.” Historical records indicate that during the late 19th century, Chuong Bo served as a facility for breeding dairy cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, pigeons, and more.

Throughout the period of Anti-French Resistance War, Chuong Bo housed nine temporary prison rooms for detainees. Adjacent to it were 24 pigsty compartments, and across from them stood two cattle sheds and a pit for storing waste from the cattle sheds.

In the era of the American-puppet regime, around the end of 1969, political prisoners who resisted saluting the flag were brought to Chuong Bo. Chained and incapacitated, they endured prolonged periods of detention, leading to physical disabilities.

Following the discovery of Chuong Cop, urgent repairs were carried out on Chuong Bo. The American-puppet regime transformed the 24 pigsty compartments into 24 prison rooms and restructured it into three zones: A, B, C. Throughout the American-puppet era, the Chuong Bo Isolation Compound  had a total of 33 isolated prison rooms.

From 1973 onwards, the Chuong Bo Isolation Compound became the headquarters of the investigative subcommittee under the Professional Committee. Individuals suspected of involvement in resistance activities were brought here for interrogation. The investigative methods employed by the professional committee were often brutal, including beatings with wooden sticks and clamping bamboo sticks to the legs. Many prisoners suffered paralysis and disabilities as a result of the torture and detention regime at Chuong Bo.

This site also marked the end of the 113-year-long “Hell on Earth in Con Dao,” becoming the last open prison that closed its doors around 8 a.m. on May 1, 1975.

On April 29, 1979, the Investigation Zone relic was officially recognized as a nationally significant special relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information, under Decision No. 54-VHTT.QD. On May 10, 2012, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 548/QD-TTg, ranking it as a Special National Relic.