Hòa Lai

Three towers of the late 8th and early 9th century beside National Highway 1A. They represent one of the oldest Cham architectural styles. The style is in fact named after them, the Hòa Lai style: horseshoe arches over the openings, octagonal pilasters, and ornament of curling leaves covering the walls in an almost unbroken carpet. The Vietnamese simply call the complex Ba Tháp, the Three Towers, although only the foundations of the middle one remain: the northern and southern towers stand intact, and the northern one has kept its decoration better than any other early Cham building. The site was chosen on the plain north of Phan Rang, by a road that ran along the coast even a thousand years ago; today Highway 1 passes right beside it, and the towers can be seen straight from the bus window. The complex was declared a national monument in 1997. The towers stand right next to Highway 1 north of Phan Rang and can be seen straight from the bus window, so they are usually visited during a short stop on the way. Admission is free; the northern tower, with its almost carpet-like carving over the walls, is the best preserved. People rarely travel to Hòa Lai specially, and see the complex on the way between Phan Rang and Nha Trang.

On the map