Mỹ Sơn

Mỹ Sơn is a place with many old temples.

It sits in a valley in Vietnam. Long ago, kings of Champa built them. They built the temples for a god named Shiva.

Some temples were made of wood. A big fire destroyed them. Later, kings built new ones with bricks.

Many temples were lost in a war. Now, people work to fix the ruins.

It is a very special place to see.

Mỹ Sơn is a site of old temples in central Vietnam.

These temples were built by the kings of Champa. This was a kingdom of the Cham people. The kings built the temples between the 4th and 13th centuries. They used the site for religious ceremonies. It was also a place to bury kings and heroes.

Many of the temples were for a god named Shiva. This is part of a faith called Shaivism. In this place, the god had local names. One important name was Bhadreshvara.

Some temples were made of wood. A great fire destroyed them long ago. Later, kings built new temples using bricks.

They also carved beautiful designs into the bricks.

Most of the buildings were lost during the Vietnam War. US bombs destroyed much of the architecture. Today, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it is a very important place for the world. People work hard to fix and protect the ruins.

Mỹ Sơn is a special place in central Vietnam. It is a group of old, ruined temples. These temples were built by the Kings of Champa. The Champa were a group of people called the Cham. These kings built the temples between the 4th and 13th centuries. The site sits in a wide valley. Two mountain ranges surround this valley.

This valley was a very important center for the Cham people. It was a place for religious ceremonies. It was also where Cham kings and heroes were buried.

The temples were built to honor a god named Shiva. This is part of a belief system called Shaivism. In this place, people called the god by different local names. One very important name was Bhadreshvara.

Some kings also gave gifts to the temples. King Prakasadharma began a practice of giving decorated metal sleeves. These were called kosas. They were placed over a lingam, which is a sacred object.

This helped the king show his devotion to the gods.

The history of the site began with King Bhadravarman I. He ruled from the year 380 until 413. He built a hall to worship Shiva. He even named the god Bhadreśvara. This name came from his own name and a word for lord. Later, King Sambhuvarman rebuilt the temples in the 7th century. He ruled from 572 until 629. He wanted the god to bring happiness to the kingdom. Many other kings added to the site over hundreds of years.

At one time, the site had over 70 temples. There were also many stone pillars with writing on them. These used languages called Sanskrit and Cham.

The temples were built in different styles over time. Some were built in the 10th or 11th centuries. In 1999, UNESCO named Mỹ Sơn a World Heritage Site. This means the site is a treasure for the whole world. It shows us how an ancient civilization lived and believed.

Today, the temples are mostly ruins. A large part of the buildings was destroyed during the Vietnam War. US bombing in 1969 damaged many structures.

Some parts are still being fixed by experts. People from places like Poland and India help with the work. You can see some statues in museums in Vietnam. Others stay in a special museum at the site.

Visitors can still see the beauty of the old brickwork.

Mỹ Sơn is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples located in central Vietnam. These sacred structures were built between the 4th and 13th centuries AD. They were constructed by the Kings of Champa. The Champa were an Indianized kingdom of the Cham people. The site is situated in a wide valley. Two mountain ranges surround this valley.

This location served as a major religious and cultural center for the Champa civilization. It also functioned as a burial place for Cham royalty and national heroes. The site is considered one of the most important Shaiva Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia.

The temples are dedicated to the veneration of the god Shiva. This practice follows a belief system known as Shaivism. In this tradition, Shiva is often called "The Auspicious One." Within the Mỹ Sơn complex, he is worshipped under various local names. The most significant name used here is Bhadreshvara.

This name is a composite of the king's name and the word "isvara," which means lord. Some kings also practiced the donation of kosas. These were decorated metallic sleeves placed over a lingam. A lingam is a sacred object used to represent the deity.

This practice was notably used by King Prakasadharma.

The history of Mỹ Sơn began with King Bhadravarman I. He ruled from 380 until 413 AD. He built a hall to worship Shiva under the name Bhadreśvara. The king dedicated the entire valley to this deity. He even left an inscription on a stone stele. He asked his successors to protect his foundation. He believed that maintaining the site would bring spiritual merit. His successors followed his wishes for many generations. This helped Mỹ Sơn become a long-lasting religious hub.

In the 6th century, the site faced a major challenge. The original temples were made mostly of wood and timber. A great fire destroyed the complex around 535 or 536 AD. King Sambhuvarman later rebuilt the temples during the 7th century. He ruled from 572 until 629 AD. He reinstalled the god under the name Sambhu-Bhadresvara. He hoped the deity would cause happiness in the kingdom. However, his reign was also marked by an invasion from the Chinese general Liu Fang in 605 AD. This invasion resulted in the loss of many treasures and gold tablets.

Later kings continued to expand and renovate the site. King Prakasadharma ruled from 653 to 687 AD. He was unique because he devoted himself to both Shiva and Vishnu. He also established the tradition of using kosas. In the 10th and 11th centuries, kings like Harivarman II and Harivarman IV built more structures. These included temples such as the Isanabhadresvara.

At its height, the complex encompassed over 70 temples. It also contained many steles with inscriptions in Sanskrit and Cham. These writings provide vital records of Cham history and ancestry.

Modern history brought both discovery and destruction to the site. French scholars rediscovered the ruins in 1898. They began studying the architecture and art shortly after. In 1937, French scholars started restoration work on the main temple, known as A1.

Tragically, much of the architecture was destroyed during the Vietnam War. In August 1969, United States aircraft bombed the area. This caused the temple A1 to become a pile of bricks. Today, the site remains a place of study and careful preservation.

Mỹ Sơn is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It received this status in 1999. UNESCO identified it as an example of cultural evolution. It also serves as evidence of an extinct Asian civilization.

Various international groups help to protect the ruins. Polish conservators worked on restoration in 1981. The Vietnamese government also allocates funds for maintenance. Experts continue to monitor the structural soundness of the remaining temples. They want to ensure these ancient stones are protected for the future.