Hanoi (VNA) – An additional 11 historical, architectural and archaeological relics nationwide have been listed as special national relic sites following a decision by the Prime Minister.

The list of the new relics is as follows:

1. Con Moong (beast) Cave and surrounding relics in the central province of Thanh Hoa . According to the Vietnam Archaeology Institute, Con Moong Cave in Thach Thanh district was discovered in 1975 and extensively explored after that. The cave boasts one of the thickest cultural layers in Southeast Asia, indicating the constant development of human beings throughout the ages. 2. Hang Gon Ancient Tomb in Long Khanh town, southern Dong Nai province. The tomb was discovered by a French engineer in 1927 and represents ancient culture dating back 2,500 years ago. It is the oldest and biggest tomb in Vietnam still intact today. 3. Duong Long Tower – an ancient Champa structure in Tay Son district, central Binh Dinh province Duong Long Tower is a complex of three towers. It is located on a hill in Tay Binh commune, Tay Son district. The towers narrow towards the top and end in blooming lotuses. Duong Long Cham Tower is considered “strange” due to large stones used in the corners as well as decorative stone sculptures. 4. Binh Son Tower in Song Lo district, northern Vinh Phuc province The unique building was erected during the Ly – Tran dynasty from the 11th to the 13th century. The 16-meter tower has 11 floors and is empty inside.

It was built with solid red bricks and its foundations were constructed using “vo” (wooden-hammer) bricks.

5. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Yen Dung district, northern Bac Giang province

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda was built in the 11th century under the Ly dynasty. It was later turned into a training centre for talented monks by three Vietnamese monks: Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Hoa, and Huyen Quang during the Tran dynasty in the 13th century. The pagoda has a collection of 3000 woodblocks and has been officially recognised as a World Documentary Heritage by UNESCO. 6. Tran Thuong Temple in Ly Nhan district, northern Ha Nam province The temple is dedicated to King Tran Hung Dao (1228-1300) – the Supreme Commander of Vietnam during the Tran Dynasty, who repelled three major Mongolian invasions in the 13th century. The Tran Thuong Temple festival is one of the biggest in Ha Nam province, with various activities including a procession, worshipping, swimming and a chess competition. 7. Nguyen Binh Khiem Temple in Vinh Bao district, northern Hai Phong city. Nguyen Binh Khiem (1491 - 1585) was an expert in physiognomy and astrology. He was worshipped as Vietnam’s greatest "prophet" because of a series of his prophecies on posterity. Nguyen Binh Khiem is also known as the "Trang Trinh Prophesier". To commemorate Nguyen Binh Khiem’s contributions, local people built a monument to worship and display artifacts about his life and career. 8. Dien Bien Phu Relic Site, northwestern province of Dien Bien Twenty three more sites are added to the complex of Dien Bien Phu Battlefield Relics which was already recognised as a special national relic site in 2009. Dien Bien Phu witnessed a fierce battle that ended with Vietnam’s victory and an end to French colonial rule in Vietnam in 1954. 9. Ta Thiet Military Base in Loc Ninh district, southern Binh Phuoc province The base used to be the headquarters of the National Liberation Army of South Vietnam where the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Command was set up in 1975. 10. Cu Chi Tunnels in Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City The tunnels stretch over 250km. They were dug with simple tools and bare hands during the French occupation in the 1940s. This main axis system has many branches connected to underground hideouts, shelters and entrances to other tunnels. During the war, local people and soldiers miraculously lived and fought for national liberation from the intricate network of underground tunnels. 11. Tay Thien-Tam Dao site in Tam Dao district, northern Vinh Phuc province Spanning over 100 hectares within Tam Dao National Park, the Tay Thien site is dotted with beautiful forests, streams, waterfalls, grottoes and dozens of religious buildings. The Tay Thien festival, which is held annually on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month to commemorate Mother Lang Thi Tieu, who made great contributions to national defence, peace and agricultural development during the era of the Hung Kings, attracts a large crowd of people to pray for a new year of good health, happiness and prosperity. The Prime Minister also recognised 25 valuable items as national treasures, including Co Loa bronze drums and ploughshares, ancient statues and royal items.-VNA