The Pô Nagar Tower, a newly recognised special national architectural and artistic relic in Khánh Hòa Province. — VNA/VNS Photos Nguyễn Thành

KHÁNH HÒA — The People's Committee of Khánh Hòa Province held a ceremony yesterday (July 10) to officially announce and receive two prestigious national titles: the recognition of Pô Nagar Tower as a special national architectural and artistic relic, and the inclusion of the traditional knowledge of agarwood extraction and processing in Khánh Hòa as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Trần Quốc Nam said that the ceremony aimed to honour two outstanding elements of Khánh Hòa’s cultural legacy: one architectural, the other intangible.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate the diverse cultural, historical and artistic values of our province, and to build a strategy for preserving and promoting this heritage,” Nam said. “It also plays an important role in enhancing the province’s brand and fostering tourism and economic growth.”

He also tasked the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism with continuing to study and propose concrete solutions to preserve and promote these legacies, ensuring that both the sacred Pô Nagar Tower and the centuries-old craft of agarwood cultivation and production are passed on to future generations.

A performance from the themed programme 'Huyền thoại Mẹ Xứ Sở' (Legend of the Mother of the Land).

The ceremony featured two specially staged art performances — Huyền thoại Mẹ Xứ sở (Legend of the Mother of the Land) and Tự hào di sản văn hóa nghìn năm (Proud Heritage of a Thousand Years). These vibrant shows, attended by large crowds of locals and tourists, brought to life the cultural and historical essence of Khánh Hòa and marked a symbolic step into a new era for the province.

On January 17, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính signed Decision 152/QĐ-TTg officially recognising Pô Nagar Tower as a special national relic. This was followed by Decision 1651/QĐ-BVHTTDL from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on June 3, which listed 'Traditional knowledge of agarwood harvesting and processing in Khánh Hòa' as a national intangible cultural heritage in the category of folk knowledge.

Provincial leaders receive the certificate recognising Pô Nagar Tower as a special national relic.

Built between the 8th and 13th centuries, Pô Nagar Tower stands on Cù Lao Hill, beside the Cái River. It was first recognised as a national architectural and artistic relic in 1979, while the Pô Nagar tower festival was included on the list of national intangible cultural heritage in 2012. The site is renowned for its architectural, historical and cultural value, housing 14 royal decrees, 28 engraved stelae and many rare artefacts.

As a result of centuries of cultural exchange between the Chăm and Việt peoples, the site is deeply symbolic. It serves as a spiritual centre where both ethnic groups come to pray for peace, prosperity, favourable weather and a happy life.

The official presentation of the certificate recognising the traditional knowledge of agarwood extraction and processing in Khánh Hòa as national intangible cultural heritage.

Alongside this architectural marvel, Khánh Hòa is also known as the 'Land of Agarwood', where the worship of Pô Nagar Mother Goddess has been deeply associated with the origins of the agarwood trade. Across the province, numerous traditional craft villages, cooperatives, artisan groups and households continue to produce a wide array of agarwood products — from incense sticks and bracelets to statues and essential oils.

Many of these products have been recognised under Việt Nam’s One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme, solidifying the Khánh Hòa Agarwood brand in both domestic and international markets. The traditional craft, rooted in centuries of folk wisdom, continues to be preserved and passed down, with artisans constantly innovating to diversify offerings while maintaining authenticity.

Today, agarwood products from Khánh Hòa are not only prized for their spiritual and practical uses, but also as distinctive souvenirs for tourists, items that carry the soul and scent of Agarwood land. — VNS