EXPLORING THE FRANCO – SPANISH CEMETERY ON SON TRA MOUNTAIN

This morning, I set out on a cycling trip to Tien Sa Port, intending just to ride around before heading back. However, I suddenly recalled a unique historical site nearby and decided to make a stop—the Franco – Spanish Cemetery, which rests against the slopes of Son Tra Mountain, overlooking Da Nang Bay, near the entrance to Tien Sa Port.

A Forgotten Chapter of History

Locals commonly refer to this place as Nghĩa trang Y Pha Nho or the Espanol Cemetery, while the French called it Ossuaire, meaning “Hill of Bones.” This cemetery is the mass burial site of Franco – Spanish expeditionary troops who perished in battles while attacking Da Nang between 1858 and 1860.

At the heart of the cemetery stands a small memorial monument built in French architectural style. Inside, a simple Catholic altar holds religious decorations. Above the altar, a Latin inscription is visible, while the left-side wall features a stone plaque engraved in French:

“À la mémoire des combattants Français et Espagnols de l’Expédition Rigault de Genouilly. Morts en 1858 – 59 – 60 et ensevelis en ces lieux.”

This translates to: “In memory of the French and Spanish soldiers of the Rigault de Genouilly expedition. Died in 1858 – 1859 – 1860 and were buried here.”

On the right-side wall, another plaque states that the monument was built in 1898 by Captain Treille and local artisans. Below, the names of those who contributed to the construction are inscribed, led by the name of Paul Doumer, then Governor-General of French Indochina.

The Forgotten Soldiers

It is unclear exactly how many French and Spanish troops died during the three-year attack on Da Nang. However, historical records from the École Française d’Extrême-Orient (French School of the Far East) suggest that at least 1,500 soldiers were buried in this cemetery. Today, the site contains 33 marked graves of officers, including that of Lieutenant Colonel Duppré Déroulède, who was killed aboard the warship Némésis. Additionally, many iron caskets filled with the remains of soldiers from other battle sites were transferred and buried beneath the cemetery’s main chapel.

A Remarkable Legacy

One of the most surprising aspects of this cemetery is that, despite more than 163 years since the French invasion of Da Nang, it still exists and is maintained—not by foreign officials, but by local Vietnamese people. This is perhaps the cemetery’s most unique and extraordinary feature. It reflects the deep humanitarian spirit and tolerance of the Vietnamese people, who continue to care for the resting place of former invaders who once occupied and colonized their land for nearly a century.

Visiting the Franco – Spanish Cemetery brought back memories of elementary school history lessons and the legendary General Nguyễn Tri Phương. He was the brilliant strategist who, alongside the people and soldiers of Da Nang, built fortifications and fiercely resisted the Franco-Spanish forces for three long years. Their resilience ultimately forced the invaders to retreat, leaving behind a cemetery filled with thousands of fallen soldiers—silent witnesses to a forgotten war.

—-

Mr. Old Man, 11/2021