Visit Chieng So Tower of Dien Bien

Up to now, there is no specific historical document confirming the construction date of the tower, but the results of the researchers show that the tower was built in the XV-XVI centuries. Chieng So Tower is an artistic architectural work that clearly shows the talent and artistic creativity of the people of Vietnam and Laos. The tower is built in the shape of a wine glass, the bottom is large and the upper part is smaller. The tower is 10.5m high, around the base of the tower are placed 2 elephants in front and 2 dogs in the back. The tower was built of brick and lime mortar. There are two types of bricks for building the Tower: large, thick bricks used to build at the foot of the Tower, and small and thin bricks used to build on the body and the Tower.

The base of the Tower is built in a square with many floors stacked on top of each other, making the appearance of the Tower tree more solid, in addition to the brick layer is plastered with a layer of mortar, the surrounding is not decorated with patterns. The body of the Tower is decorated with floral motifs, the highlight is a lotus with six layers overlapping the Tower along with the lines of stylized floating patterns of birds and flowers according to the partial layout. very harmonious. Most especially, the dragons are embossed around the body of the Tower, the dragon’s head and tail are gathered together to form the figure eight. These dragons have very characteristic scales, unlike any other style of expression through historical periods in Vietnam. Dragons are small in size like the snakes that Hindu culture worships.

From the main part of the tower body upwards, it is built in the style of hexagonal tubular architecture, surrounded by tangential lines mixed with lotus petals running continuously around the tower body. The entire tower body has 3 floors, the sides of each floor are plastered flat in the shape of a hexagon without decorative patterns, especially the middle part of each floor is enlarged to look like young lotus buds. In the middle of the junction of each floor are decorated with patterns, the patterns are stylized and pre-assembled and then attached such as: lotus petals, lance shaped, sun and other flower shapes; Inside the lotus petals and lances, there are small pieces of mirrors attached so that when the sun comes in, it radiates aura around. The top floor (the Tower) is decorated the same way as the lower floor, only the size is reduced to create the soft and delicate beauty of the Tower.

Chieng So Tower has many hidden architectural, historical and cultural values ​​that still exist today. Firstly, this is a relic of high artistic value in terms of architecture. The shape of the Tower combined with the motifs shows that this is an ancient cultural heritage with creative thoughts, artistic intentions and thoughts on the lives of those who directly built it. Tower in particular and the people of the two ethnic groups Vietnam – Laos in general.

Second, the Chieng So tower left great historical value because it helped researchers find and confirm the history of the long-standing solidarity between the two ethnic groups of Vietnam and Laos.

Third, cultural value: with ingenious creativity, the ancients have left a cultural heritage for future generations – that is, a splendid ancient tower architecture that contains the beauty of The culture between Vietnam and Laos has joined hands with the same idea to build. The existence of the Education Tower of the young generation, we look at the monument like looking into a big mirror to see the results of our father’s labor with enthusiasm, talent and solidarity. All these efforts show that the goal that his father wants to achieve is “Truthfulness – Compassion – Beauty”.