Twin Cham Towers (Thap Doi)

The Twin Towers (Thap Doi) stand on the western edge of central Qui Nhon — two Cham sanctuary towers of different heights, built in the 12th century and unusually well-preserved given their urban location. Unlike the more remote Cham towers in the surrounding hills, these sit right in the city and can be visited easily on foot from the centre.

The taller tower has a distinctive pyramidal spire with ornamental terracotta figures on its corners. The smaller tower is slightly simpler in form but similarly intact. Both are active religious sites; incense burns inside, and flowers are placed on the altars. A small garden surrounds them, providing a quiet pocket in an otherwise busy part of the city. Admission is minimal.

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A story
These two towers were built by the Champa kingdom in the 12th century on the outskirts of what was then the capital of Vijaya. After the fall of Vijaya to Vietnamese forces in 1471, the Cham people were pushed south and west, and their kingdom effectively ceased to exist. The towers survived because local Vietnamese communities continued to use them as places of worship, a tradition that continues to this day.

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