The tower stands 22m tall like a sword pointing to the sky in Yen Hoa Village, My Ly Commune, Ky Son District.

The tower is located in a remote border village. Photo dantri.com.vn

The tower includes two parts, the foundation and body of the tower, which is a square brick pillar measuring 5m each side.

Its peak consists of various storeys. The tower is covered with moss and grass.

The tower is surrounded by wild moss and grass. Photo dantri.com.vn

Beside it stands a Bodhi tree, as high as the tower. Locals built a small temple beside the tree and placed two statues of Buddha measuring some 15cm high. There are some statues inside the tower that are bigger.

According to some researchers, the tower was built by Theravada Buddhist monks, who moved from Thailand to Laos and into Vietnam in the 7th century.

The brick tower in a bad state. Photo dantri.com.vn

The tower now is seriously degraded. Local authorities have installed warning signs for locals and tourists. They have also asked concerned agencies to renovate the tower.

Yet there has been no repairs as yet.

Kha Van Nghe, 55, a local resident, said when he was small he saw many Buddha statues around the tower.

Since 1970 many statues have been robbed, he said.

A warning sign. Photo dantri.com.vn

“Some people even broke in the tower to take statues and ancient objects away,” he said.

Luong Van Bay, chairman of the commune's People's Committee, said though the tower is situated in a fairly remote area and is dilapidated, the tower has still attracted visitors.

“Every month, residents still burn incense and bring offerings to the tower and temple,” he said.

"We hope concerned agencies will soon renovate the ancient tower,” Bay said. VNS

Major work at My Son Sanctuary mostly complete

Up to eighty percent of restoration work on towers of Group A (A10, A8, A11) in the My Son Sanctuary has been completed, including the foundation, inner walls and boundary walls,

Mysteries of My Son Sanctuary unveiled through restoration

Situated in a peaceful valley surrounded by mountains, My Son Sanctuary has been well preserved since it was built thousands of years ago during the prosperous development of the Champa Kingdom between the 4th and 13th centuries.