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The beauty of Cham tower

BINH DINH – Each Cham tower has different architectural features, with many historical and cultural meanings, is a tourist attraction.

Banh It pagoda relic (Dai Loc village, Phuoc Hiep commune, Tuy Phuoc district) is the ancient Cham tower cluster with the most remaining works in Binh Dinh, including 4 large and small towers. From a distance, the towers are shaped like a cake with few hemp leaves, famous local specialties, so they are named after.

The Cham tower system of the province was formed in the 11-13 century. Currently, there are 14 remaining Cham towers, clustered into 8 clusters at different locations. In which the Twin tower (2 towers), Duong Long tower (3 towers), Banh It tower (4 towers) are special clusters of works, which still exist almost intact, suitable for visitors to explore. Photo: Huynh Hoang Huy

The largest main tower (Kalan) in Banh It tower cluster with an altitude of about 29.6 m, located on the top of the hill. The tower structure is square, each side is 12 meters long, with a pointed dome facing the sky. This is the place to worship gods in Hinduism or to worship Buddha depending on the dynasty.

Next to the tower is the fire tower (Kosagrha) with a rectangular structure, 10 m high. The tower functions as a warehouse, where the ancient Cham sacrifices are stored. This work is also known as the Yen Ngua tower because the roof structure is curved and concave in the middle part like a saddle.

Bia Tower (Posah) is as high as the Fire tower with a square structure, located in the southeast of the main tower. The four doors of the tower are open to each other, different from most of the local Cham temples. The roof of the tower is carved with oval shapes, so it is also known as the Gourd Tower.

Bia Tower is the architecture that often appears in large temple clusters in a region, with steles recording the merits of Cham gods and kings. However, the stele in the tower is no longer present.

Located about 30 m below the east of the main tower is the Gate tower. The tower is about 12 meters high, with a square frame of 7 meters on each side. The architecture on the Gate tower is almost like the main tower.

Banh It tower cluster is located far from the city center. Quy Nhon about 20km. Visitors can conveniently drop by on the way from Phu Cat airport to the city or vice versa.

Duong Long Tower (Tay Binh and Binh Hoa communes, Tay Son district) is far from the city center. Quy Nhon nearly 40km, on the same road through Banh Be tower. This is considered the highest brick tower cluster in Vietnam, with a height of 39 m in the middle tower, the other two towers are about 32 m high.

Unlike most Cham towers in Vietnam that are built of bricks, Duong Long tower has a combination of many stone details, bringing a different beauty. Photo: Nguyen Phuoc Hoai

Duong Long Tower is located on a wide, flat terrain, so it is often chosen by dojo as a place for practice and performance, so that students can feel the aura of their homeland, which is known as the “cradle” of many traditional martial arts in Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Phuoc Hoai.

Located in the city center, the ruins of Doi Tower (Dong Da ward) include the higher north tower (about 20 m) and the adjacent south tower (about 18 m high) with similar architecture. The two towers do not have a traditional multi-storey structure, but only two main parts are the square body and the top of the tower with decorative sculptures, influenced by the Khmer temple architecture.

The twin towers were largely destroyed in history, the current work has been restored by experts to almost the same as before.

Inside the tower is worshiping the Linga – Yoni statues made of sandstone, also restored from the prototype based on the drawings of the French researcher.

The main temples of the Cham people often worship Linga – Yoni, the symbol of Siva according to Hinduism and symbolize fertility and development.

Currently both towers are no longer spiers.

According to the management board of Cham temples and monuments in Binh Dinh, the towers currently only serve historical research and sightseeing, and are no longer the place where Cham people use traditional ceremonies, events culture, due to the local Cham community is very few. Follow vnexpress

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