Gia Lai builds project to restore nearly 900-year-old ancient tower

Faced with the deterioration of the nearly 900-year-old ancient tower, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Gia Lai province is developing a restoration project for the period 2026 - 2030.

Lying quietly on the top of a nearly 80 m high hill in An Nhon Bac Ward, Gia Lai Province (formerly An Nhon Town, Binh Dinh), Phu Loc Cham Tower has been present for nearly a millennium.

The locals call Phu Loc Tower by many names such as Thoc Loc Tower, Phoc Loc Tower, while the French used to call it Tour d'Or (Golden Tower). Regardless of its name, this is still one of the ancient Cham towers, once a brilliant architectural highlight in the past.

Phu Loc Tower is located on a high hill in An Nhon Bac Ward, Gia Lai Province.

PHOTO: DUC NHAT

Phu Loc Tower was built in the second half of the 12th century, on a square base, about 15 m high, each side 9.7 m. The tower has a strong shape with high vertical lines, the main door and false door are curved and pointed like a spearhead, evoking the image of a Cham warrior standing tall in the sky. Many elaborately carved stone details are still preserved, clearly showing the style of the Cham towers of Binh Dinh.

Strong tower shape with vertical lines creating a soaring feeling

PHOTO: DUC NHAT

From afar, Phu Loc tower stands out in the middle of the field, but it is difficult to approach because of the bushes covering the path. The closer you get, the more heartbroken you are when witnessing the "wounds" of the nearly 900-year-old structure due to the erosion of time, rain and wind: Bricks are peeling and weathering; tree roots are creeping into the brick gaps, causing the tower body to crack; the main door and fake door have collapsed, and the stone belts have fallen off.

The path up to the tower was covered with bushes and the stone path was eroded.

PHOTO: DUC NHAT

Over 900 years, due to tree erosion, Phu Loc tower has been damaged and degraded.

PHOTO: DUC NHAT

More sadly, the ancient Cham tower is covered with scribbles and drawings by visitors. Inside the tower, accumulated humidity, thick moss, and foul-smelling bat droppings make the space gloomy and heavy.

The tower is covered with scribbles.

PHOTO: DUC NHAT

According to Gia Lai Provincial Museum, due to limited funding, Phu Loc Tower currently has no one to take care of it regularly. The structure has only been reinforced at the base to prevent collapse, while the entire tower, which has special architectural and historical value, has not yet been properly restored.

Phu Loc Tower has been reinforced twice at the base by the cultural sector to prevent collapse.

PHOTO: DUC NHAT

The good news is that the cultural sector is considering preserving this ancient tower. A leader of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Gia Lai province said that they are building a project to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to restore Phu Loc tower in the period of 2026 - 2030. This will be an opportunity to reinforce and restore the structure, while preserving the Cham architectural value for future generations.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Gia Lai province is developing a project to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to restore Phu Loc tower in the period 2026 - 2030.

PHOTO: DUC NHAT

Cultural experts say that to effectively restore, it is necessary to carefully survey the current status, choose a conservation plan that is consistent with the original, and thoroughly handle encroachment from trees and humans.

With its favorable location, Phu Loc Cham Tower can completely become an attractive cultural and historical tourist destination, associated with the journey to explore the land rich in Gia Lai heritage. If properly invested, this place will not only be a mark of the past but also contribute to tourism development and educate the community about heritage values.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/gia-lai-xay-dung-de-an-trung-tu-ngoi-thap-co-gan-900-nam-tuoi-185250829193919151.htm