Chăm architectural styles
Archaeological evidence shows that the surviving Chăm towers constitute but a fraction of what once existed in the region.
Việt Nam's oldest surviving Chăm vestiges, dating from the 7th and 8th century CE, are classified for architectural purposes as
early Trà Kiệu or Mỹ Sơn E1 style (7th and 8th centuries); extant examples from this early ‘golden age’ of Chăm architecture include the
Mỹ Sơn E1 and F1 and
Phú Hải towers.
From the late 8th century onwards Champa became increasingly subservient to Angkor, and as a result Khmer architectural influence began to make itself felt in the construction of the Chăm temple-towers. However, whilst the so-called
Hòa Lai style (late 8th-early 9th centuries) which evolved during this period was characterised by the appearance of tiered towers akin to the contemporaneous Khmer
prasat, the sturdiness of design, elegant pilasters and carved, vaulted doors of the surviving structures -
Hòa Lai,
Pô Đam and
Mỹ Sơn A'1, A'2, A'3, C7 and F3 - gave them a beauty which was uniquely Chăm in conception.
In the latter half of the 9th century King Indravarman II transferred his capital to Đồng Dương, constructing a large Buddhist monastery or
vihara at that site with the aim of propagating a new mixed Hindu-Buddhist faith. Expressed through the architecture of
Mỹ Sơn A10 and B4 and the temples constructed at
Đồng Dương, the so-called
Đồng Dương style (late 9th-early 10th century) which emerged at this time was characterised by a new emphasis on grandeur. Many magnificent Chăm Buddhist statues and sculptures date from this era.
However, at the start of the 10th century Indravarman III restored Hinduism to its former status as the national religion of Champa and once again made Trà Kiệu and Mỹ Sơn the political and religious centres of the kingdom. Close relations were subsequently developed with the Javanese, leading to the application of the latest Javanese architectural ideas in the design of Chăm temple-towers. The result was the elegant
Mỹ Sơn A1 style (10th century), which is regarded by many scholars as the pinnacle of Chăm architectural development; examples of this style include
Khương Mỹ, the north-westernmost temple of the
Pô Nagar complex, and
Mỹ Sơn A1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, D1, D2 and D4.
In around 1000 CE, with Indrapura devastated by invading Đại Việt armies, Chăm King Sri Yangpuku Vijaya moved his capital south to Đồ Bàn, some 27 kilometres north of present-day Quy Nhơn (Bình Định Province). Over the following century further architectural development took place under the sponsorship of this new Chăm kingdom of Vijaya (‘Victory’), leading to the development of the monumental Bình Định style.
First to appear was the so-called
Transitional Mỹ Sơn A1-Bình Định style (early 11th-mid 12th centuries), as expressed in the architecture of the central
kalan at
Pô Nagar and of
Bình Lâm,
Nhạn,
Chiên Đàn and
Mỹ Sơn E1, E4 and K towers.
By this time, despite having regained its independence from Angkor, the Chăm kingdom was seriously weakened by destructive internal conflicts between rival claimants to the throne. During the 14th century it came under increasing pressure from the Đại Việt, leading ultimately to the devastating invasion of 1471 which left Champa as a mere province of Đại Việt. The so-called
Pô Klông Garai or Late style (14th-17th centuries) which followed is indicative of the steady decline of the Chăm architecture at this time. Whilst the eponymous
Pô Klông Garai and
Pô Rô Mê towers retain a certain elegance, other extant examples from this period, such as
Yang Prong, are of little significance in comparison with the architectural wonders which preceded them.
