Binh Dinh is not only famous for its beautiful beaches, but typical Cham-pa cultural architectures like Banh It tower also make visitors not forget it.
About Banh It Tower
Banh It Tower is located on a gentle hill just about 100m from sea level, between two branches of Con river, Tan An and Cau Ganh, next to National Highway 1A, in Dai Loc village, Phuoc Hiep commune, district. Tuy Phuoc, Binh Dinh province, isabout 20 km north of Quy Nhon city center.
The tower is located on a gentle hill (Photo @ nguynathu)
According to the records of Dai Nam unified chi book, in the past, the tower was also called Thi Thien because there was a bakery shop of a woman named Thi Thien located at the foot of the mountain, some other documents called the village name. Dai Loc, the French named it Tour d’Argent – Silver Tower and some other names are Cau Ba Gi, Thien Mau, Tho Son.
However, because four towers are standing close to each other, one large above and three small below, from a distance, people think of a little cake tray – Binh Dinh’s specialty has peeled the leaves, so people are used to calling. with the name ” Banh Less Tower” and is commonly used to this day.
Looks far like giant little cakes (Photo @ lequyen1026)
This tower was built around the end of the 11th century to the beginning of the 12th century under the reign of the two monarchs Harivarman IV and V, during the Champa architectural style period with the combination of My Son A1 style and Binh Dinh style. Therefore, it is one of the most outstanding Cham architectural monuments that still exists on the land of Binh Dinh and is also the only ancient architectural work of Vietnam in the top 1001 certain architectural works. visit once in the life of a group of British authors.
Attributes a lot of tourists to visit every year (Photo @totori_nguyen)
Unique architecture of Banh It tower
Banh It tower relic cluster currently has 4 towers: 1 main tower and 3 sub-towers surrounding the roof tower, fire tower and gate tower like the little cake that looks very interesting. Although this is not much, it still retains the most intact the original shape of the tower despite experiencing many ups and downs and changes of time.
Main tower
This is the largest tower located in the center of the hill with a height of more than 20m, built in a square shape, with 3 floors, the smaller the upper and the smaller and each side is 11m long, the entrance is more protruding. 2 m.
The main tower attracts the first look of visitors (Photo @_imkio)
Like many other Cham-pa towers like Poshanu Phan Thiet Cham tower or Poklong Garai Ninh Thuan tower … this tower also has 1 main door in the East and 3 fake doors in the other direction.
The main door arch is carved into the shape of a two-layer spear that is pointed high with twisted patterns connecting together. In the middle of the arch is a relief of Kala’s face in the position of taking Naga snake. The fringe of the roof is engraved with the image of the god HaNuMan in a dancing position, while the fake doors are decorated with vivid Gajasimha (elephant head body) reliefs.
The main door is elaborately and meticulously (Photo @khanhkhanhne_)
The side panels are also eye-catching (Photo @ nghianguyen2018)
Designed with imposing and majestic lines with five vertical columns and double grooves that both make the wall solid and bring out the elegance, harmoniously combined with the delicate lines of flowers, trees, and children. dancing objects or people make the inanimate walls of Banh It tower strangely lively.
The tower stands tall and steadily over the years (Photo @totori_nguyen)
Roof tower
This tower is located in the south of the main tower with a length of 12m, a width of 5m and a modest height of only 10m. The roof of the tower is curved in the middle, soaring at the two ends like a boat, similar to the communal roof of the Central Highlands or the saddle, so people here never know how to call it the saddle tower. horse.
The roof tower has a strangely eye-catching shape (Photo @ imthuhoai___)
The main gate of the tower is also facing the East, going deep inside, you will see the secondary doors going north and south. Each side of the tower body is designed with strong rectangular parallel columns, dotted with soft curving reliefs of humans, animals, birds and floral patterns making it more eye-catching.
The inside is simpler than the main building (Photo @ fiona078)
The most special feature that makes the tower unique in the Cham towers in Binh Dinh is that the base of the tower is wider than the body, built square with human and animal figures at the bottom of the tower as if it is stretching. , Quynh feet, reaching hands, unanimously using the strength to lift the tower up.