The Cham relic site nestled in Phong Le Village, Hoa Tho Dong Ward, Cam Le District, is one of Da Nang’s important Cham tower sites boasting great historical and cultural values. This relic site has the potential to develop tourism and conduct cultural and historical research but it has yet to be developed to its full potential.

Many valuable artifacts have been found at the Phong Le Village-based Cham relic site

The first excavation was carried out on an area of 500m² of this relic site on 4 May 2012.

Based on findings, the researchers and archaeologists affirmed that this relic site is the system of at least 3 Champa towers built in the 11^th century and dating back 1,000 years.

Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Huynh Van Hung said, since 2012, this relic site has undergone 3 excavations. Most notably, foundations of a Cham tower complex which is considered as the largest of its kind in Central Viet Nam have been discovered at the site.

In November 2017, Da Nang government approved a project to conserve and promote the value of this relic site with a focus on creating walkways, restoring the Mieu Ba (shrine), and constructing a Champa artifact gallery here.

Also, all necessary documents were prepared for the recognition of the Cham site in Phong Le Village as a municipal-level relic site in a bid to conserve and promote the values of this site.

On 8 July 2020, the Da Nang People's Council issued Resolution No 303 / NQ-HDND in an effort to attract domestic and foreign investment into the embellishment of this site.

The Cham relic site will be restored on an area of 20,000m², in which, 2,653m² will be earmarked for embellishing Champa towers and the Mieu Ba, 1,626m² for building galleries for Champa artifacts and traditional crafts, and 15,461m² for constructing lotus lakes, and creating more green spaces for visitors.

Mr Nguyen Xuan Tien, Vice Chairman of the Cam Le District People’s Committee, highlighted the significance of restoring and embellishing the Cham relic site in Phong Le Village to promote the development of Da Nang’s tourism industry.

“With the aim of encouraging the use of waterways in Cam Le District for tourism, a trip boat pier will be built nearby the Cham relic site in a bid to make travelling to this inviting site easier”, Mr Tien remarked.

Director Hung noted that after the restoration of the Cham relic site in Phong Le Village is completed, this site will house Champa exhibits from the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture which is facing artifact overload.

By PHAN CHUNG - Translated by MAI DUNG