Over the past 10 years, the bomb shift tunnel is located in the sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel campus to become an interesting place to visit here.
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is the oldest hotel in the capital, with more than 120 years old. It has welcomed many world famous people, including heads of state such as former US President George W. Bush, former French President Francois Hollande, former Swiss President, US President Donald Trump, CEO of Apple - Tim Cook ...
In 2011, a bomb shelter was discovered by accident in the back garden area of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. At that time, when the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel upgraded a bar near the pool, the foundation workers discovered that the concrete layer was nearly 30cm thick at a depth of about 2m, the roof of a solid underground tunnel.
The tunnel was identified as a tunnel to avoid bombs in the US air force war in the North. In the tunnel, the widest compartment has an area of over 7m2, the narrowest is just over 2m2, an average height of 1.85 meters, accommodating about 45 people.
Inside the tunnel, there are essential items such as electrical systems, water, storage items, and excavation tools to prevent the entrances and exits of the tunnel from being closed.
Since being found up to now, the objects inside the basement such as locking door, ventilation tubes ... are preserved almost intact. The hotel regularly remodeled, preserved and opened the tunnel to welcome guests to visit and learn about the history of the hotel.
In 2013, the bomb shelter of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel was awarded an honorary award for cultural heritage conservation.
The judges highly appreciated the conservation and restoration of the forgotten bomb shell tunnel for decades.
Sharing with the Labor correspondent, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung - the leader of the hotel tunnel - said that the tunnel is a special trace, an unforgettable part of the staff and guests who have stayed here in the years of fierce bombs.
In the hotel's notes, singer Joan Baez and movie actor Jane Fonda used to avoid American bombs in the tunnel, during the days of staying at this hotel in the Christmas season in 1972.
Also while avoiding the bomb at the tunnel, singer Joan Baez recorded a part of the song "Where are you my lipstick". The song was like her from the mourning of a mother who lost her only son in the US bombing campaign against Hanoi.
The Australian diplomat Bob Devereaux used to enter this basement engraved his name on the wall when the war ended. After that, the basement was filled until it was found in 2011.
After repairing, restoring the tunnel, the second door cleared to the main hall of the hotel was covered. Guests staying and the researcher to visit the tunnel will enter from the side of the pool.
