HISTORIAL AND CULTURAL RELICS

Tay Son Palace: Located in Quang Trung Museum at Phu Phong townlet, Tay Son district, 40 km northwest of Quy Nhon city. This Palace is the place for the local people to worship the Tay Son Brothers Nguyen Nhac, Nguyen Hue and Nguyen Lu and has been always protected and embellished through many historical events as token of their pride in, respect and faith to the Three Brothers of Tay Son.

Tay Son palace is small but sincere-looking. In front of the yard is Three Officials and the next is the stela recording the results of Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue movements. The main room of the palace comprises three sections, the middle worshiping Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue, the left one worshiping Nguyen Nhac and the right one worshiping Nguyen Lu.

The palace was built on the house floor of the three leaders Tay Son and also the place worshiping their parents – Mr. Ho Phi Phuc and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Dong and where the three brothers were born, grew up, rose up in arms and became the pre-eminent leaders of farmers and the nation at the end of the 18^th century. Nowadays, in the old garden of the three brothers Tay Son, close to the Tay Son palace there are two extremely precious vestiges as the ancient tamarind tree and old well, which were told to exist during the contemporary time of Mr. Ho Phi Phuc.

The ancient tamarind tree: More than 200 years old, told to be planted by the three brothers Tay Son, close to the Tay Son palace. The tree has large branches shading the whole area of the garden and the root has a perimeter of 3.5m. The tamarind becomes a folk- memory shown in a familiar, emotional and historical singing:

“ The old Tamarind, the old Trau prier

If having no fate to get married, the emotional ties are still full” 

The Well: on the right of the palace, it is told to exist during the time of the three brothers Tay Son, made of Laterite, the perimeter of 0.9 m and the well height of 0.8 m. Until now, the well water is still fresh and cool like before when it fed and brought up the spirit and will of the three brothers Tay Son.

Nowadays, the Tay Son palace, the Tamarind and the Well are preserved with respect and sincerity in the Quang Trung Museum. The Quang Trung Museum, being built in a large scale in 1978 by the Government, adapting an ancient and imposing architecture, comprises 9 rooms displaying memorial items of the Tay Son movement and the King Quang Trung (1771 – 1789).

Visiting the Quang Trung museum, tourists will experience the land and the house where the three brothers were born and grew up, see the relics and magnificent feat of arms of the Vietnamese farmers’ revolution in the 18^th century in the real eyes, visiting the palace and lighting up an incense to remember the great labour of the three brothers; standing under the Tamarind and drinking the water of the old Well; the tourists will experience the martial spirit of heroes, the strong will to protect the country through the Tay Son movement and the famous victories  of Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue.

Besides, tourists will also enjoy rich, unique and attractive performances about the history of Tay Son movement such as Tay Son martial art, Quang Trung battle drumming and the national spirit, bring the tourists back to the history with the famous victories of the nation in the 18^th century.

Emperor’s parapet: Presently the remains of the parapet in Dap Da and Nhon Hau, An Nhon district. The Emperor parapet was built by the kingdom Tay Son in 1775 on the foundation of the Do Ban parapet of the kingdom Champa and was officially named the Emperor parapet in 1778. During a long period of time from 1776 to 1793, the parapet was the barracks of the troop Tay Son and then the capital of the central government Emperor Thai Duc – Nguyen Nhac. The Emperor parapet is originally a rectangular complex comprised of three circles of parapet: External parapet (Thanh Ngoai), internal parapet (Thanh Noi) and death parapet (Tu Cam Thanh). Thanh Ngoai has a perimeter of 7,400 m. Thanh Noi, also namely King’s parapet (Hoang Thanh), is sharpened in rectangle with the length of 174 m and width of 126 m. After the defeat of the Tay Son kingdom, Gia Long – Nguyen Anh took extremely savage revenge on the kingdom of Tay Son. The Emperor parapet, marking the golden era of the kingdom Tay Son, is also destroyed. On the old floor of the parapet, the Nguyen built a temple to worship two mandarins of the Nguyen dying here, namely Vo Tanh and Ngo Tung Chau. This is the tomb area with the Nguyen’s typical architecture in the group of vestiges.

The Emperor parapet is the remains of historical building reminding the later people of the heroic period of the farming heroes.

Ancestor’s house of worship of Vo Van Dung: Vo Van Dung is the outstanding general, excellently contributing to the Tay Son movement. He was promoted as an admiral (Do doc), Dai Tu Khau, Dai Tu Do, Duke (Tuoc Hau), Grand Duke (Quoc Cong). The ancestor’s house of worship Vo Van Dung was built on his homeland – Tay Phu, Tay Son.

Ancestor’s house of worship of Bui Thi Xuan: Bui Thi Xuan, an outstanding general of the king Quang Trung, was talented at taming elephants to fight enemies. She devoted all her life to the glorious career of the Tay Son movement. Bui Thi Xuan is now worshipped at the Bui Ancestor’s house of worship in Tay Xuan, Tay Son district.

Swallow Beach – the Tam Toa Mountain: The Nhan beach is a headland peaked at the gate of the Qui Nhon port in the area 1, Hai Cang ward. The Tam Toa mount (also namely the Black Stone Mount) is in Hai Minh, Hai Cang ward, on the left of Qui Nhon port entrance, opposite to the Nhan beach. Previously, ships or boats who wished to enter the Thi Nai lagoon from the sea and move to the Emperor parapet would have no other way except going through the Nhan beach and the Tam Toa mount. Therefore, the Nhan beach and the Tam Toa mount played a strategic role and were built to be the main army base of the Tay Son soldiers. With the passing time, now the physical vestiges have almost disappeared; however, the past historical events with the monumental beauty of the nature, the Nhan beach and the Tam Toa mount have still attracted many tourists to visit and enjoy.

Mai Xuan Thuong’s Tomb: was built to ancient architecture on the hill next to the National Highway 19 in Binh Hoa, Tay Son district in order to memorialise Mai Xuan Thuong – a patriot and an outstanding leader of the Can Vuong’s movement against the French in Binh Dinh. From this hill where Mai Xuan Thuong raised up in arms, visitors can observe the bases against the French of the insurgent troops such as Phu Phong, Tien Thuan, Linh Dong, and Huong Son…It has been more than 100 years since the death of Mai Xuan Thuong, his name still lives forever in the hearts of Binh Dinh people and nationwide.

Dao Tan’s Tomb: Among cultural celebrities in Binh Dinh, Dao Tan appears to be a bright star. He is a patriot, a mandarin famous for his modesty, a poet and an outstanding Tuong composer of Vietnam at the end of the 19^th century and beginning of the 20^th century. With his huge contribution, Dao Tan is considered as “the Father” of Vietnam’s Tuong art. Dao Tan’s tomb lies on the Huynh Mai mountain in Phuoc Nghia, Tuy Phuoc district, about 15 km from Qui Nhon city. It is an important historical and cultural vestige that has been preserved, attracting many tourists visiting to show their appreciation to the person contributing a great deal to the heritage and development of the national culture.

Cham Vestige: Binh Dinh was the capital of the Kingdom of Champa from the 10^th century  to the 16^th.  This golden time until now keeps priceless cultural vestiges with the traces of parapet and outer wall, and still moss-green towers stand strongly to the challenges of time with their true value of cultural art.

Doi Tower (or namely Hung Thanh tower): was built at the end of the 12^th century, lying in Dong Da ward, Quy Nhon city; a beautiful and unique architecture comprising 2 towers (the main tower is 20 m high and the minor tower is about 18 m high). Doi Tower is rated a “unique” beauty of the Champa’s architectural art. Both towers are not square ones with many floors like the traditional Cham towers but a structure of 2 main parts: the body is square and the top has a shape of a tower with curved surface. At the corners of the tower are the icons of the God bird Garuda raising both wings to lift up the roof of the tower. The top vault of the doors is raised up like arrows. The architecture of the Doi tower was influenced by the art of Indian region.

Banh It Tower (or namely the Bac Tower): built at the end of the 11^th century and beginning of the 12^th, in Phuoc Hiep, Tuy Phuoc district, located on the top of a hill between two branches of Con river, namely Tan An and Cau Ganh, next to the Highway 1A, 20 km from Quy Nhon city. This is a group of 4 towers. The towers look like Banh It from a far view stand so they are called Banh It. Each tower has its own specific architecture. On the top of each tower is a stone statute of the God Shiva. In an artistic aspect, among all vestiges of Cham towers in Vietnam, the Banh It tower is the group of distinguishing towers with an abundance of nice architectural styles and high value of art.

Duong Long Tower (or namely the Nga tower): in Binh Hoa, Tay Son district, 50 km from Quy Nhon city, built at the end of the 12^th century – the most prosperous stage of the development of Cham cultural art. It is a group of three Cham towers (the middle tower is 24 m high, two side towers are 22 m high). With a sophisticated sculpture, the architectural features are presented both gloriously glamorous and softly delicate. Animal decorative motifs are real in lively as well as miraculously mysterious. The Duong Long tower is evaluated one of the most beautiful towers in Central of Vietnam, with its distinguishing feature of a large size and respectful architectural style.

Canh Tien Tower: built beside the Do Ban rampart in Nhon Hau, An Nhon district in the 16^th century approximately. The distinguishing feature of the Canh Tien tower is the use of slads of violet and twisted-lining sculptured stone in the inside part of the wall pillars. The tower was delicate but solemn in style. The tower has 4 floors smaller toward the top. Every floor has its edge decorated where smaller floors were built. The architecture of the leaves upturned to the top creates the image of flying wings. From the shoulder of the tower up, four sides look like a fairy’s wings flying up, so the tower is called Canh Tien.

Phu Loc Tower (or namely the Gold tower): in Nhon Thanh village. An Nhon district, 35 km from Quy Nhon city to the North; with an ignorant and sad beauty; at the foot of the tower, tourists can see 4 directions of surrounding extraordinary and majestic scenery.

Thu Thien Tower: built on a relatively low location, on the southern bank of Con river in Binh Nghi, Tay Son district, 35 km from Quy Nhon city to the North West. The tower has a small scale with sophisticated and mysterious style.

Binh Lam Tower: built on the high hill in Phuoc Hoa village, Tuy Phuoc district, 22 km from Quy Nhon city. The tower has a shape of square vase with each side of 10 m, 20 m high, divided into 3 floors, decorated with sophisticated design, and moderate architecture with refinely beautiful and strong lines.

The Department of Culture and Information has approved the towers as historical architecture vestiges. It can be said that the group of Cham towers in Binh Dinh is very abundant and varied so it creates a specific attractiveness of only Binh Dinh for tourists visiting the South Central in particular and Vietnam in general.

Nui Ba Base: Nui Ba is a majestic famous tourist spot in the South East of Phu Cat district, facing to the sea. On the mountain, there is Vong Phu statue in Chanh Oai village, Cat Hai commune, looking like a woman with her child standing with a longing watching at sea for the return of her husband. Also, there is the famous Linh Phong pagoda built at the end of the 17^th century, in the middle of mountains within an area of clouds, water and beautiful caves. The Nui Ba also remarked many important revolutionary facts of Binh Dinh, With more than 80 vestiges, centered into 29 sections, Nui Ba is a group of vestiges connecting with the revolutionary career and the fight against the American soldiers to save the country of Binh Dinh people and soldiers; the important revolutionary base in the fight against the American soldiers; the security and protection place of the province’s revolutionary units; the place where the “free of war” Vietnamese soldiers were fed and protected; the place where many glorious victories started. In the hearts of Binh Dinh people, Nui Ba becomes one of the icons of the country, belief and pride.

Thap Thap Pagoda: located in Nhon Hau village, An Nhon district, 27 km from Quy Nhon city to the North West. The monk Nguyen Thieu of Lam Te group built it in the 17^th century. Its main materials are red tiles brought from 10 damaged Cham towers surrounding, so it is called Thap Thap and was gifted the title “Thap Thap Di Da Tu” by the Lord Nguyen Phu Chu. Until now, through more than 300 historical years, Thap Thap Di Da itself becomes a majestic Buddhist architecture and is a history book of relics representing the development of Buddhism in the Southern and Central regions. This is the Father land of Nguyen Thieu Buddhist group. Besides, the group of sculptured architecture and the overall landscape of the present Thap Thap pagoda are still a cultural vestige with high value in many aspects. It is ranked a national vestige.

Long Khanh Pagoda: located in Quy Nhon city, built in approximately 1715. The Long Khanh pagoda is one of the large Buddhist centers of Binh Dinh. It is the place where monks do their praying Buddhist activities and also the tourist spot for any tourist.  Now, the pagoda still keeps some precious items such as:

Thai Binh Hong Chung (The Bell) was made in 1805 (the Gia Long dynasty)

Display paper (Long Khanh characters) was printed in 1813

Linh Phong Pagoda: built in 1702 in the middle of a hill lying on the South of Nui Ba, in Cat Tien commune, Phu Cat district. Its shoulder is based on high mountains; its front faces to the sea. The pagoda is surrounded with springs, sophisticated and majestic landscape and still atmosphere. Its first name was Dung Tuyen. In 1733, the Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu allowed to rebuild the pagoda, renamed to Linh Phong and titled its head monk (Ong Nui) the most respectful monk Tinh Gia Thien Tri. Some legends said that the king Minh Mang dreamed of being gifted a curing medicine by the monk so ordered to give money for renovating the pagoda in 1829. Now, the pagoda still keeps many cultural and historical items giving values to future generations.