Situated in Ea Sup District, 100km away from Buon Ma Thuot, Yang Prong is known as the only Cham Tower in Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen). It was built at the end of the 13th century to worship the God Siva or also called Mukhalinga – symbol of fecundity, to wish for a peaceful and happy life, multiplied -human race, and prosperity. Lying by the Ea H’Leo River, Yang Prong Tower is an architectural structure of red ceramic bricks resting on a foundation made of blue marble stones, with its top as a flower’s bud.
The tower is 9 meters high with a square-shaped base of 5 meters each side. Even though it looks like there are four entrances, in fact, the tower has only one door opened to the East, which is referred to as the kingdom of the Gods. The other three “doors” are located in the three other sides of the towers and they are all artificial. Unlike the designs of many other Cham towers in Middle Vietnam, the upper part of Yang Prong is expanded into a giant cone-shaped roof, from which visitors in Vietnam travel can freely stretch their view over the wondrous scenery of Central Highlands.
Yang Prong Cham Tower bears cultural features of Cham people. The tower proves the history of the wet-rice civilization on the highland. The Cham Tower in Dak Lak is special, but few people know about its presence here. On August 3rd, 1991 the Ministry of Culture and Information issued a decision recognizing Yang Prong Cham Tower as an ancient architectural site under the management of the government. Today, this tower has become an ideal place for travelers joining tours in Vietnam and exploring the special features of the Central Highlands’ culture.
When coming to Yang Prong Cham Tower, you will experience a unique and rare feeling of being in another world. Nowadays, this tower is one of the magnets of Vietnam Tourism, attracting a number of researchers and visitors in all over the world.