From the historical stronghold 72 years ago
Located about 3 km northeast of the center of Dien Bien province, Him Lam Resistance Center has a total area of 136,900 m2. This is the place that marked the opening battle for the Dien Bien Phu Victory "glorious in five continents, shaking the earth".
According to recorded documents, at exactly 5 pm on March 13, 1954, our shelling suddenly attacked fiercely on Him Lam stronghold, opening the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.
With a strategic position as the gateway to protect the Northeast of the stronghold group, Him Lam was once built by the French colonialists into a solid defense system with bunkers, traffic trenches and dense minefields from the foot to the top of the hill.
Also at base No. 2 of Him Lam Resistance Center, Heroic Martyr Phan Dinh Giot "filled the chau mai hole with his body", bravely sacrificing himself for his comrades to rush forward and destroy the enemy.
Although it is a particularly important component relic belonging to the National Special Historical Relic Complex of Dien Bien Phu Battlefield, to date, this place has not been widely known because it has not been put into operation to serve tourists.
The reason is that for many years, the relic items have not been fully invested in construction, and the roads to some strongholds are still difficult. Therefore, Dien Bien province has not fully put them into operation to serve tourism.
Previously, people mainly came to burn incense to commemorate heroic martyrs on anniversaries.
To the 91 billion VND renovation project
To be worthy of its historical value and create a highlight to attract tourists, Dien Bien province has invested in the preservation and restoration of the Him Lam Resistance Center Relic Site, phase II.
The project has a total investment of 91 billion VND, from the central budget 61 billion VND, local budget and socialized sources 30 billion VND, invested by the Project Management Board of Civil and Industrial Works of Dien Bien province.
Construction focuses on two main items: a 45m long relief, 425m2 area, made of natural stone; incense offering house designed in a hexagonal shape.
Items of embellishment, repair, and supplementation: concrete embankment at the foot of the hill, embellishment and renovation of access roads to 3 strongholds, incense offering yard, square yard, parking lot, incense sticks at bunkers, steles introducing relics, reception houses, shelters, flower gardens and green trees creating landscapes, outdoor electricity system, synchronous and complete drainage system...
In particular, towards the 72nd anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954 - May 7, 2026), on March 8, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the working delegation attended the inauguration ceremony of the relic preservation and restoration project of Him Lam Resistance Center, phase II.
The inauguration and exploitation of Him Lam Relic aims to express gratitude to Dien Bien soldiers and heroic martyrs who bravely fought and sacrificed to create the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory.
This not only creates another unique tourist attraction, attracting domestic and international tourists, but the relic is also a "red address" to propagate and educate future generations about the patriotism and indomitable will of our ancestors on the Dien Bien Phu battlefield 72 years ago.
