Do Ban Citadel also called Hoang De citadel is located in An Nhon, Binh Dinh Province, 27km north-west of Qui Nhon City. The citadel was built at the end of the 10th century, during the reign of Emperor Yangpuku Vijaaya.
Do Ban Citadel History
Do Ban Citadel was the last capital of the Champa Kingdom where the Cham Kings lived between the 11th and the 15th centuries.
In 1778, Nguyen Nhac proclaimed himself the Central Emperor. He established the capital, which he named Hoang De Citadel, expanded the citadel to the east, and built many grand monuments. In 1799, the citadel was occupied by the Nguyen Dynasty, and baptized Binh Dinh Citadel. In 1814, the Nguyen Dynasty destroyed the old citadel and built a new one about 5km south of the old citadel.
Architecture
Several pieces of stone walls, moats, and granite-tiled roads remain from the Citadel. Inside the Citadel, there are ancient Cham remains, such as square wells and statues of small lions and elephants. Next to the back door is Thap Thap Hill (Ten Tower Hill), on which there are ten Cham Towers. Of note is the 20m-high Canh Tien Tower with white-stone statues of a snake, two elephants, and monsters on the corners.
There are many remains and objects related to Cham culture and the Tay Son movement in Thap Thap Di Da Pagoda and Nhan Thap Pagoda, two ancient pagodas situated to the north and south of the citadel. Next to the back gate is a hill area on which there were ten towers (Thap Thap) of Cham before.
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