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The locals in Binh Dinh are often proud of their homeland where many cultural and historical relics were built, including Cham towers.
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The Duong Long or Nga (ivory) towers have been situated in Tay Son district since 12th -13th century
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The land of Cham towers
Most Cham towers in Binh Dinh were built from the 11th – 15th centuries and they are really impressive. Binh Dinh has a total of 14 Cham towers, the largest number in the South East Asia, according to many domestic and foreign experts.
Most are located in Quy Nhon city and three districts of Tuy Phuoc, An Nhon, and Tay Son. At Dong Da ward in Quy Nhon city are the Doi (twin) towers which were built in the 13th century. The complex includes a 16-meter tower in the north and another in the south.
The Banh It (silver) towers are positioned on a 100-meter-hill which is 10 km far from Quy Nhon. The complex of four towers was built in the 11th-12th centuries and each tower has the height of around 20 meters.
The Binh Lam tower located at Phuoc Hoa commune in Tuy Phuoc district is comprised of three storeys with the total height of 20 meters. It is one of towers built in late 10th century and early 11th century.
An Nhon district is the home of the Canh Tien (fairy wings) or Dong (bronze) tower which was built on an earth mound in Nhon Hau commune. It was built in the 12th century with the sophisticated architecture as its four faces look like fairy wings.
The Phu Loc or Vang tower which appeared in the 12th century is situated on an 80-meter hill in Nhon Thanh commune. It has the height of 15 meters.
The most impressive one is the Duong Long or Nga (ivory) towers located in hamlets of Van Tuong and An Chanh, Tay Son district. The 40-meter complex built in the 12th -13th century is known as the most beautiful towers in the central region.
Tay Son district also sees the Thu Thien tower built in the 11th century at Thu Thien commune. Unlike other towers, the 8.5-meter tower has some relievos and statues inside.
Many new discoveries
Archaeologists have excavated the areas around the towers in recent years, aiming to reveal the secret of ancient Cham towers in Binh Dinh.
The archaeological excavation offered many findings of the technologies and material used for the Cham tower construction as well as their ages and other antiques.
Director of the province’s management board for historical relics Dang Huu Tho said most Cham towers in Binh Dinh were archaeologically excavated and restored. The Doi towers, for example, were excavated and restored with the total expense of over VND2 billion in 1991 or Banh It tower was also restored in 2004.
The Duong Long towers were firstly excavated and restored in 2006-2007 and the work on the complex has been started for the second time with the total expense of over VND10 billion.
Meanwhile, the excavation and restoration of Canh Tien tower have been carried out since 2006 with German Government-funded EURO100,000 and VND700 million from the local budget. The restoration is expected to finish by late this year.
At present, a VND15-blilion worth proposal for the Binh Lam tower restoration has been submitted to functional bodies for consideration.
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