Supporting the masterpiece Cham tower awaiting restoration.

Despite being reinforced with an iron frame, Tower B3 at the My Son Sanctuary (Da Nang City) is still leaning and sinking by more than 3 degrees, along with large cracks. One of the few remaining architectural masterpieces, considered a miniature model of the A1 tower, is currently being propped up while awaiting comprehensive restoration.

Báo Thanh niên•12/10/2025

A CRACK THAT PENETRATES THROUGH, AND BECOMES MORE AND MORE TILTED

Tower B3, part of the My Son Sanctuary complex in Thu Bon commune ( Da Nang city), sits atop a low hill surrounded by the Khe The stream. It is one of the rare architectural structures that retains the typical features of the My Son A1 style, built in the late 10th century to worship the god Ganesha (son of Shiva). The tower is 9.45 meters high and is considered a miniature model of the masterpiece Tower A1.

In the early 20th century, French experts from the French School of Far Eastern Studies (EFEO) cleared, surveyed, described, and studied the B3 tower, which was then relatively intact. However, due to war, the structure was severely affected, with the southwestern wall and roof damaged by bombs. Around the 1980s, the structure was restored and reinforced, including the western wall, roof, and some parts of the tower's body, by Polish and Vietnamese experts.

However, after years of continued exposure to natural elements and especially unstable geological strata, the deterioration of Tower B3 has reached an alarming level. From the initial discovery by architect Kazik (Poland) in the 1980s of a slight tilt and numerous cracks in the walls, a detailed survey in 2000 revealed alarming figures: the entire tower body had tilted and subsided by more than 3 degrees to the southwest (towards the stream).

Chống đỡ kiệt tác tháp Chăm chờ trùng tu- Ảnh 1. — Tower B3 is deteriorating and requires emergency reinforcement.

Along with the tilt, cracks extending from the top to the base have appeared on both the east and west walls of the tower. The widest crack reaches 13.5 cm, even splitting the structure in two in places, allowing light to pass through. In addition, Tower B3 faces several other problems, such as the roof tilting counterclockwise, fallen bricks creating holes that cause waterlogging inside the tower, and mold growth due to high humidity. The entrance hall has been reinforced and restored, but the bricks in the walkways are worn and peeling, posing a risk of collapse to two decorative pillars, the door frame is leaning towards the southwest, and the beam is broken in half.

In 2006, Japanese experts identified groundwater from the Khe Thẻ stream (western branch) as the main cause of water seepage, weakening the soil foundation and affecting the base of tower B3, especially during the rainy season.

In 2019, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved a plan for the urgent support and preservation of Tower B3 with a budget of approximately 1.5 billion VND. According to the design, the tower would be held in place by a steel frame from the top to the ground to prevent the walls from falling while awaiting the overall project. However, this solution only provided temporary "peace of mind," as the steel frame was too fragile for the enormous weight of the structure and did not address the root of the problem.

Chống đỡ kiệt tác tháp Chăm chờ trùng tu- Ảnh 2. — The crack extends from the top to the base.

Furthermore, Tower B3 is leaning even further. Moss and mold are rapidly corroding the tower's surface due to high humidity, increasing the risk of collapse. Not to mention, the presence of the steel frame has detracted from the aesthetic appeal of Tower B3 and the B, C, and D tower complex.

" COMPLETE RENOVATION IS A SURVIVAL REQUIREMENT"

The My Son World Cultural Heritage Management Board (hereinafter referred to as the Management Board) stated that the main reasons for the serious deterioration of the towers are unstable geological strata, uneven subsidence due to the structure's location next to a stream, and the impact of natural disasters and war.

Chống đỡ kiệt tác tháp Chăm chờ trùng tu- Ảnh 3. — Current status of the north face of tower B3

Speaking with a reporter from Thanh Nien newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Cong Khiet, Deputy Director in charge of the Management Board, affirmed that Tower B3 is one of the rare architectural masterpieces remaining in the temple complex of the My Son World Heritage site. Mr. Khiet stated that although the current tilt is not too dangerous, the Management Board cannot afford to be complacent. For a monument at risk of deterioration, the first principle is to reinforce it to prevent collapse while awaiting sufficient resources for a comprehensive restoration project. Regarding Tower B3 specifically, the Management Board has enough personnel and labor to carry out the restoration. "We estimate that restoring Tower B3 will cost around ten billion dong. This money will be mobilized from regular expenditures, investment expenditures, and heritage exploitation activities," Mr. Khiet said.

According to Mr. Khiet, the restoration process requires extreme caution. Particular attention must be paid to fundamentally addressing the tilting and subsidence of the foundation and preventing the warping of the tower body, preserving the surface, and maintaining the typical shape of ancient Cham architecture. "Implementing a comprehensive and integrated restoration solution is crucial to both firmly preserving this ancient Cham structure and restoring the aesthetic beauty of the My Son World Heritage site," Mr. Khiet affirmed.

The establishment of a comprehensive conservation investment project for Tower B3 has been identified as a top priority in the conservation roadmap for the My Son temple complex. It is expected that in early 2026, the My Son World Heritage Management Board will coordinate with a consulting firm to research, prepare an investment estimate, and seek permission from relevant authorities to proceed with the restoration and stabilization of Tower B3. However, since Tower B3 is a special national monument, all restoration and stabilization activities must be approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.