Located on a 75-metre-high hill in Dai Loc Village, Tuy Phuoc Bac Commune, nearly 20 km from central Quy Nhon, the Banh It Towers, also known as the Silver Towers, date from the late 11th to early 12th centuries. The complex comprises four main structures the Main Tower, or Kalan; Gate Tower, or Gopura; Fire Tower, or Kosagrha; and Stele Tower, or Posah.
Once a major religious centre of the ancient Vijaya region, the complex was named Banh It because its towers, viewed from a distance, resemble banh it, a local speciality cake.
The Main Tower, the complex's largest, rises 29.6 metres on the hilltop, with a 12-metre-square base, an east-facing entrance and three false doors. Vertical columns and grooves decorate its body, while three roof tiers taper towards the top, with sandstone eaves featuring curved U-shaped motifs.
The towers feature religious figures and sacred creatures typical of Cham art, notably Shiva riding the sacred bull Nandin. In Hinduism, Shiva is the destroyer in the Trimurti, alongside Brahma the creator and Vishnu the preserver.
Inside the Main Tower stands a 1.54-metre-high replica of an 11th-century Shiva statue, recreated in 2013 from the original held at the Guimet Museum in France. The statue represents the Chanh Lo style of Cham art.
Next to the Main Tower, the 10-metre-high Fire Tower is also known as the Saddle Tower for its curved roof. It is believed to have served as a storehouse for Cham ritual objects.
The Stele Tower, over 10 metres high, stands southeast of the Main Tower and opens on all four sides. Its distinctive roof features rows of gourd-shaped motifs, earning it the alternative name Wine Gourd Tower.
At the lowest point of the complex, the 12-metre-high Gate Tower once served as the entrance to the Cham religious site and shares several features with the Main Tower.
Banh It Towers are a popular attraction in Gia Lai Province. Ngo Thi Mai, 60, from Hanoi, said she was amazed the towers remained standing after nearly 1,000 years. Her family also visited the Twin Towers, Ky Co and Eo Gio during their four-day trip.
After nearly 1,000 years, parts of the complex have deteriorated and developed cracks. Banh It was designated a national architectural and artistic relic in 1982 and listed among Vietnam's 10 most visited ancient tower sites in 2014.
Nearly a millennium on, the red brick blocks still leave a distinctive mark. More than an architectural relic, Banh It Tower helps preserve important traces of the religious and artistic life of the ancient Cham people.
