Most Popular PlacesRandom PlaceListsItinerariesAdd a PlaceDownload the App Phu Loc Champa Temple Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance Durham Pump Station Salle du Jeu de Paume Where to See the World’s Creepiest Dolls and Toys 6 days ago Where to See the World’s Most Famous Preserved Body Parts 13 days ago Perched atop a lonely 76-meter hill overlooking the plains, this 12th-century Cham sanctuary was historically dubbed the Golden Tower by French scholars due to the warm, glowing hue of its ancient bricks. Rising silently above the flat agricultural expanses of An Nhon Bac, the solitary silhouette of Phu Loc Champa Temple commands its hilltop domain like an ancient sentinel. Built during the 12th century, this weathered sanctuary stands roughly 15 meters tall with a square base, its time-worn brick masonry bearing the distinct architectural hallmarks of a vanished civilization, including vertical pilasters, false doorways, and spearhead arch motifs.
Early French scholars famously cataloged the site as Tour d'Or, or the Golden Tower, inspired by the radiant amber glow the structure catches under specific angles of sunlight. Unlike many Cham ruins swallowed by modern urban sprawl, Phu Loc occupies a dramatic isolation on its elevated summit, offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and an eerie sense of connection to the medieval kingdom of Champa that once ruled these plains. Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.
Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Getting there: Located in An Nhon Bac, accessible via local roads north from Quy Nhon. Pro-tip: Afternoon provides striking lighting across the brick facade and the surrounding plains.
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