The exhibition offers visitors an authentic view into the history of the capital city’s well-known relic sites. (Photo: hanoimoi.vn)

Lining up in the hallway at the Hoa Lo Prison Relic are numerous documents and photos of 25 historical and cultural relics, revolutionary resistance relics, and memorial sites of Hanoi. The exhibition is designed in green, representing the present, trust, hope, and creativity, and yellow, representing the enduring history of the capital.

Ms. La Bich Thuy, an employee of the Hoa Lo prison relic, said that the exhibition preserves the memories, victories, and progress of Vietnam's revolutionary movements and honors the contributions and sacrifices of fighters for national independence and freedom, especially in Hanoi. “It seeks to foster patriotism, national pride, and a sense of responsibility for protecting Vietnam's cultural heritage.”

Visitors can explore many French colonial architectural landmarks, such as the Grand Palais or Grand Palais de l'Exposition, also known as the Dau Xao area, an exhibition and trade fair complex built from 1899-1902 on Tran Hung Dao street (now the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Labor Cultural Palace); the Hanoi People's Court; and House No. 90 Jean Soler Street (now Tho Nhuom Street) where the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tran Phu wrote the draft of the Party's Political Thesis in 1930.

Other sites featured ant the exhibition include  house No. 5D Dourdart de Lagreé Avenue (now Ham Long Street), where the first Communist Party cell in Vietnam was established in March 1929; the Indochina Bank - Hanoi Branch on Courbet Street (now Ly Thai To Street), where Party General Secretary Nguyen Van Cu wrote the work “Self-Criticism” in July 1939; House No.101 Gambetta street, (now Tran Hung Dao street), where the Revolutionary Military Commission of Hanoi was headquartered in August 1945.

Visitors at the exhibition (Photo: hanoimoi.vn)

Visitors can also learn more about history through the Hanoi Opera House, Lang Fortress, August Revolution Square, Ba Dinh Square, Hoa Lo Prison, Long Bien Bridge, the Hanoi Flag Tower, the Hanoi Court, Dong Xuan Market; the Hang Trong Water Tower, among others.

These relic sites, through the vivid images and documents at the exhibition, trigger a wave of memories in older visitors such as Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung.

"The exhibition brings us back to times of hardship in Hanoi. It makes me understand and love these relic sites even more. I’m proud of our capital city’s heroic tradition and I hope that today’s generation will understand and follow the footsteps of our ancestors in preserving these relics for generations to come," Hung said.

Ha Van Nhi from Dong Da district, Hanoi, said that the exhibition is attractive and she is impressed with the information about the relics. “Even though I was born and raised in Hanoi and often pass by these relics, I still don't know much about their history."

Notable historical events related to the relics are introduced in both Vietnamese and English.

Do Van Nam from Long Bien district, said that the exhibition offers the core cultural values that provide an insight into the lives of Hanoians. “The exhibition summarizes necessary information that helps Vietnamese people as well as foreign visitors learn about the origins of those relics. The information demonstrates how drastically Hanoi has changed.”

Brian, a visitor from the UK, said that the information is really interesting. “We have just seen the Long Bien Bridge and now we’re leaning about the history here. The bridge got a long history but it doesn’t really seem to change very much. But I can see a lot of changes in the surrounding area and how developed Hanoi has become."

"A glimpse of heritage" is a bridge connecting the present and the past, spreading historical values, and promoting patriotism. The exhibition will run until September 15, at Hoa Lo Prison Historical Site, No. 1 Hoa Lo Street, Tran Hung Dao Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

This is one of many meaningful events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the capital's liberation (October 10).