Maison Centrale, Hanoi

The French built this prison in 1896 to house up to 450 opponents of colonialism. However, in reality more than four times this number were imprisoned in appalling conditions. Indeed, the tiny, damp and dark cells evoke eerie claustrophobia, which would be multiplied by the use of manacles and the presence of rats. More recently, American prisoners of war were kept here, including the first ambassador to Vietnam, Pete Peterson. Today, only a small section remains and it is preserved as a museum.