Khanh Hoa Honors Po Nagar Cham Towers as a Special National Monument and Recognizes Agarwood Heritage
Written by Kong Forest - July 11, 2025On the evening of July 10, the People’s Committee of Khanh Hoa Province solemnly held a ceremony to announce and receive the Certificate recognizing Po Nagar Cham Towers as a Special National Monument and the Certificate recognizing the Traditional Knowledge of Agarwood Exploitation and Processing in Khanh Hoa as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Po Nagar Cham Towers, one of the most ancient and sacred Cham temple complexes in Central Vietnam, was officially classified as a Special National Monument by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 152/QD-TTg dated January 17, 2025. At the same time, the traditional agarwood exploitation and processing knowledge of Khanh Hoa, a unique cultural legacy deeply rooted in the Cham community, was included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Decision No. 1651/QD-BVHTTDL dated June 3, 2025).
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Tran Quoc Nam – Chairman of Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee – expressed the pride of local people. He emphasized that the province will continue to focus on preserving and promoting the cultural values of Po Nagar Cham Towers and the agarwood heritage, in connection with sustainable tourism development, helping to introduce the image of Khanh Hoa to domestic and international visitors.
The ceremony was attended by numerous central and local leaders, heritage experts, religious dignitaries, local communities and international tourists. In addition to the formal recognition rituals, the event featured an impressive artistic performance titled “The Legend of the Mother Goddess” and many traditional music and dance performances, vividly recreating Cham culture, the Rija Nagar ritual, and the unique spirit of the agarwood region.
The recognition of Po Nagar Cham Towers as a Special National Monument and the inscription of agarwood knowledge as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage affirm the historical, spiritual and cultural value of these legacies and highlight Khanh Hoa’s potential for unique cultural tourism development.
📌 Source: Khanh Hoa News (Nhan Tam)