Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang

Nha Trang Ponagar Tower is located in Vinh Phuc Square, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province. This relic area is a unique artistic and architectural group of the ancient Cham Kingdom. It is also a gathering point for the traditional cultural values ​​of the Vietnamese and Cham people. It is a symbol of national unity and contributes to the diversification of Vietnamese national culture.

The Po Na Cham temple complex was built by the Cham people who once ruled the central plains of Vietnam between the 8th and 11th centuries. The Cham people, who are Hindu in origin, have their own script based on Sanskrit. They are known for their sculptural and architectural skills and have left behind a legacy of artifacts and temple settlements not only in Vietnam, but also in Cambodia and Thailand.

In the 14th century, the Champa Kingdom fell into the hands of the invading Vietnamese, whose descendants are today's Vietnamese people. A small part of the Cham people, now a minority, still live in the Central Plains near Da Nang. Although most Cham people have converted to Islam, they still worship their god at the Po Nagar Cham Tower during the annual religious festival of Taba, which falls around the end of April and early May.

The Po Nagar Cham Pagoda was built to honor the goddess Po Nagar - literally translated as 'Mother of the Nation' - who was said to have taught the Cham people the skills of agriculture and weaving. Later, historians came to identify Po Nagar with the Hindu goddess Bhagavati, wife of Shiva , and Durga, the buffalo, slays demons.

Po Na Cham's pagoda is a square red brick structure with a prominent supporting frame and tapering roof. There once stood ten buildings, each dedicated to a different god, but now only four remain. The tallest building, at 25 meters, in Poonakaran, is the most impressive. Here, Poona was worshiped and, according to historical stone carvings, animal sacrifices were made in her honor.

At the center of the complex, stands the tower of Cambhu, the goddess of fertility. The other two temples are shrines to the Hindu gods Shiva and Ganesh. Po Nagar Cham Pagoda is located on the bank of Cai River on the commanding heights of Orichalcum, a few kilometers north of the city center.

relevant information

Ticket: 30,000 VND

Opening hours: 6:00 ~ 18:00