Po Shanu Cham Towers – Phan Thiet, Vietnam - Atlas Obscura

Po Shanu Cham Towers

These crumbling towers are some of the last remnants of a centuries-old Vietnamese culture. 

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While there are little remnants of the once flourishing Cham empire that once created intricate stone structures across Vietnam, the crumbling Po Shanu Cham Towers are a telling reminder of a once successful civilization and what can be lost if we don’t preserve their legacy.

While there are other sites featuring the remnants of Cham architecture the remaining towers in Phan Thiết are some of the more representative examples of the lost culture’s architecture. Echoing the spires and details on such sites as Angkor Wat, the Po Shanu Cham towers look like the ruins of an otherworldly culture. Unfortunately, it is easy to tell that even with the remaining structures, the site must have been a great deal more impressive, and likely featured a number of other buildings that were lost to time. 

Now the Po Shanu Cham towers consist of just two pointed towers, and third building that adjoins the more decorative constructions. Little is known about the exact history of the towers, and unfortunately they have fallen into a bit of disrepair thanks to neglect and unfortunately destructive restoration efforts. Nonetheless these ancient intricate stone spires will hopefully survive long enough to be preserved for later generations to see the works of the Cham for themselves.   

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