Vietnam has more than its fair share of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and one of them is the My Son Ruins, which lie about 20km West of Hoi An. This part of Vietnam was the centre of the Champa Kingdon between the 4th and 13th centuries. Spiritually linked to Hinduism, this was the religious and political capital for the Champa people.
These magnificent towers were constructed over a thousand years of continuous development. The tower temples were built in worship of mainly Shiva but also Krishna and Vishnu. Buddhism did creep into the area at the time and spread throughout the north, but Hinduism remained the main religion, at this time
The wonderful My Son Ruins are the most important buildings that these ancient people ever constructed. The designs vary and symbolise different aspects of their faith. The greatness of Mount Meru, is at the heart of them all.
In Inscribing them UNESCO quoted two criteria:
Criterion (ii): The My Son Sanctuary is an exceptional example of cultural interchange, with an indigenous society adapting to external cultural influences, notably the Hindu art and architecture of the Indian sub-continent.
Criterion (iii): The Champa Kingdom was an important phenomenon in the political and cultural history of South – East Asia, vividly illustrated by the ruins of My Son.
This is a truly magnificent place to visit. Eight distinct groups of 71 monuments are still standing; in addition there is extensive archeology buried here. The site was officially recognised as a National Site by the Culture Ministry in 1979 and as a Special National Site in 2009. UNESCO inscribed it onto their list of World Heritage Sites in 1999.
The best time to visit Hoi An is between April and June: Read about this in depth here: https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/best-time-to-visit-vietnam-5-hoi-an
!steemitworldmap 15.795676 lat 108.107871 long The My Son Ruins D3SCR
Other Hoi An Attractions include:
#1 The Ancient Town https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/attractions-of-hoi-an-1-the-ancient-town
#2 The Japanese Covered Bridge https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/attractions-of-hoi-an-2-the-japanese-covered-bridge
#3 Museum of Trade Ceramics https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/attractions-of-hoi-an-3-museum-of-trade-ceramics
#4 The Museum of Sa Huynh Culture https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/attractions-of-hoi-an-4-the-museum-of-sa-huynh-culture
#5 Thanh Ha Terracotta Park https://steemit.com/travel/@inseasia/attractions-of-hoi-an-5-thanh-ha-terracotta-park
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