Go Thap relic site (Vietnames: Khu di tích Gò Tháp) was discovered and announced by French archaeologists around the end of the 19th century, with the name Prasat Pream Loven (Pagoda of five compartments). Through many excavations, research and validation Go Thap relic area contains many cultural relics of the ancient Funan kingdom which existed more than 2,000 years ago which called Oc Eo culture. Archaeologists have discovered at this site many types of relics, such as residence relics, burial sites, architecture…, distributed over a wide area. Especially, the God Vishnu, Shiva made of sandstone, engraved with patterns and inscriptions…were found.

Typical relics in Go Thap relic area

Go Thap relic complex includes 6 typical relics: Thap Muoi Hill; Co Tu tower; The temple worships Mr. Nguyen Tan Kieu and his grave; Minh Su Hill, Vo Duy Duong temple and Lady Chua Xu temple.

Thap Muoi Hill Relic

Thap Muoi Hill or Thap Hill relic is the original and most important relic in the Thap Muoi Relics Area. Thap Muoi Hill is about 3.8 m higher than the surrounding fields with an area of about 4,500 m².

From surveys by French archaeologist L.Malleret (1944), it was discovered that on Thap Muoi Hill there were many bricks and dozens of large stone blocks, columns…

Thap Muoi Hill

In addition to the discoveries of French scholars at the Go Thap relic, after 1975, Vietnamese archaeologists continued to research and discover more details about the foundation structure of the Go Thap relic built during period of Funan Kingdom (existed in the 1st-7th centuries) with many archaeological artifacts of historical and cultural value.

The most obvious vestige is the brick architecture 17.30 m long in the East – West direction, 12m wide (North – South), symmetrical in the North – South parts, showing that the architecture is quite large-scale and related to many other surrounding architecture.

Relics include pieces of ceramic pots, some fragments of Yoni, molds, artefacts and especially 02 Vishnu statues belonging to the Óc Eo civilisation. Up to now, among the stone stele reflecting the Funan kingdom, there is one stele found at Go Thap relic, dated by researchers to the 5th century. The inscription states this is the swamp area conquered by King Funan Jayavarman and appointed to his son Gunavarman to manage it. On the hill, there are many ancient trees hundreds of years old, especially, the Sterculia foetida tree has been recognized as a Vietnamese heritage tree.

Go Thap relic site

Minh Su Hill

Minh Su hill located about 400m from Thap Muoi Hill to the North-Northeast. The hill is 3.96m high, about 1200 m² wide, with a square shape… Minh Su Hill is a residential relic and burial site of the Funan people in the Thap Muoi Relic Area complex. Remains of habitation are distributed at the foot of the mound and widely throughout the surrounding low fields.

Minh Su Hill
Characteristics and stratigraphy of Minh Su Hill show that the site was used for residence and burial for a very long time, approximately from the 1st to the 8th century AD. Many rare terracotta and metal artifacts have been found here.

Lady Chua Xu Temple

Lady Chua Xu Hill was excavated in 1973, archaeologists brought out of the ground a fairly large structure located inside the mound with dimensions of 20.90 x 13.40m with different long and short corners. The floor and foundation have brick squares, in some places up to 1.4 meters thick.

Lady Chua Xu temple

Although the structure above has been completely destroyed, archaeologists can also base on the foundation traces and remaining architectural stone fragments to determine that a fairly well-built Hindu temple, dating back to the 6th century. The temple consists of three compartments, the middle one is dedicated to the Lady Chaa Xu. 

Co Tu Tower

Co Tu Tower (Thap Linh Pagoda) located about 100 meters north of Thap Muoi Hill built by emperor Thieu Tri (1841-1847). In front, there is also a worshipping tower of the Chenla. This pagoda was formerly located at Thap Muoi and was moved here by the Ngo Dinh Diem government. However, it was destroyed in 1956. Currently, this ancient pagoda has been replaced by a new, more beautiful and spacious thanks to construction contributions from the local people.

Co Tu Temple

Right next to the pagoda is a temple called Hoang Co Temple, which is worshipping Nguyen Anh’s sister (emperor Gia Long).

Tomb of Nguyen Tan Kieu and Tomb of Vo Duy Duong

These are Vietnamese heroes during the uprising against the French colonialists in the second half of the 19th century.

Nguyen Duy Duong Temple

Unique antiques in the Go Thap relic site

Artifacts in architectural relics and tombs are extremely rich in materials, unique in type and style, precious artifacts include a group of gold artifacts, a group of wooden statues and 2 stone steles. have text.

The group of gold artifacts in Go Thap has more than 300 pieces, carved with images of gods, mascots, patterns… Inscriptions from these gold pieces show that their age is not consistent, showing influence from Indian culture over a long period of time, from the 4th – 5th centuries BC to the 5th century AD. 

Go Thap relic site

Thap Muoi relic area is also famous for wooden Buddha statues – typical relics of Buddhist art in Oc Eo culture. Many wooden statues were discovered accidentally while digging fields and farming; with all sizes.

The scale of the architecture, the content of the relic collection and the waterway system in the Thap Muoi relic site have shown that this area was once an important religious and cultural center from the 4th century to 8th century, not only of the Dong Thap Muoi region but also of the Mekong Delta as a whole.

Compared to many archaeological relics, Thap Muoi relic site is where a large number of relics of many types were discovered, from daily life utensils in residential sites to precious offerings in temples and towers, to custom objects. Sacred burials in tombs, from architectural ruins of temples, towers and worship statues, inscriptions to house ruins, kitchen floors… 

Go Thap relic site

Festival in Go Thap relic site

Every year, at Go Thap archaeological relic, a festival is held to commemorate the merits of the Lady Chaa Xu – March 15 (lunar calendar) and two national heroes Vo Duy Dương and Nguyen Tan Kieu – November 15 (lunar calendar).

festival in Go Thap relic site

During the festival, many cultural, spiritual activities and folk performances attract the special attention of local people and tourists from all over the world.

Due to its historical, cultural and scientific value ​​Go Thap relic site has been recognized as a Heritage Site by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

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Go Thap relic site