Po Nagar Cham Towers
Po Nagar Cham Towers today is a source of fascination for many tourists. Learn about it with my list of 15 most fascinating facts.
1. Po Nagar Cham Temple was erected before 781 C.E.
2. The entire temple complex lies on Cu Lao Mountain. It comprises 3 levels and the highest encompasses 2 rows of towers. The central tower is around 25 meters tall.
3. These towers sit on a granite knoll three kilometers north of Nha Trang, on Cai River's northern bank.
4. Before the relic complex stand two rows of ten big pillars and two small pillars on the two sides.
5. The temple's main image consists of a 1.2-meter-high stone statue representing goddess Yan Po Nagar seated cross-legged, clothed in a skirt only, and ten hands grasping varying symbolic things. Vietnamese scholar, Ngo Van Doanh, claims such items suggest Yan Po Nagar was recognized in addition with Hindu goddess Durga or Mahishasuramardini.
6. The temples are constructed of many small red bricks that are arranged so close to one another that's impossible to slide something such as a cobweb-thin object between them.
7. The whole tower's architecture comprises three storeys, the first floor having a gate tower that was completely ruined.
8. During the 17th century, a takeover of the temple tower occurred by the Viet people, who named it Thien Y Thanh Mau Tower. Some Vietnamese legends about the tower and goddess emerged.
9. Pirates raided the temple several times, attempted to take it over. On many occasions the temple was nearly totally destroyed. but since the locals believed it was a sacred site, they stopped the attacks and restored it each time.
10. The complex is regarded as female. During the Cham kingdom the clans in command fell under two main headings such as female, or yang, and male, or yin.
11. Po Nagar Tower was built in dedication to Yan Po Nagar, the country's goddess, being identified with the following Hindu goddesses Mahishasuramardini and Bhagavati.
12. Once, the complex housed 7 or 8 towers in all, but today there are only four remaining towers.
13. The entire temple is in fact a Buddhist temple still functioning today, despite Vietnam being a secular nation and most of its people are atheists.
14. Visitors will be astonished by the superabundance of colorful flowers, Buddhist sculptures, small statues, little ponds, and fountains. The entire area is surrounded by beautiful stones, comfortable alleys among and automatic watering, and green plants.
15. Since the interior of the temple is rather "slender," large crowds of people touring might find this confining.
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