Cham architecture is essentially an architecture of bricks. The bricks were of excellent quality, and after being rubbed smooth, were bonded by means of a mortar of vegetable origin, thereby rendering the joints almost invisible and producing surfaces that readily lent themselves to sculptures.

Po Klong Garai tower, Binh Dinh, late 13th century

With the exception of the temple of Dong Duong (AD 875), Cham architecture does not have buildings of the grand scale of those found in Java or Cambodia. Cham temples usually consist of a sanctuary tower (the kalan) together with a few smaller outbuildings. At many temple sites, one can find an assemblage of buildings dating from different periods.

The Chams used only two methods of roofing their temples: courses of corbel bricks for covering small areas, and tiles on a timber framework for larger buildings. As a rule, the sanctuary towers are characterized by a relative lack of embellishment as well as by their graceful proportions. These square buildings derive their proportion from their pilaster and projections and usually have a large entrance hall. The high roofs consist of progressively smaller stories, forming the basic shape of the building. Apart from the occasional lodge and small temple with the layout similar to that of the kalan, the secondary buildings are of two types: the 'library' of oblong shape, most frequently comprising two rooms under a curved roof of corbelled bricks, and the 'hall', a larger building with thinner walls pierced by balustrade windows. The halls have roofs of tiles on a timber framework and are sometimes divided by massive pillars into three naves. The decoration of these buildings normally takes the form of carved relief on brick, but for the decoration of sanctuaries, tympana, metopes, antefixes and certain other features, carved sandstone was generally used.

Major Cham Monuments

My Son Towers
My Son, which is located outside of Da Nang, is the most important Cham site in Viet Nam. During the centuries when Simhapura (Tra Kieu) served as the political capital of Champa, My Son was the most important Cham intellectual and religious center and may also be served as the burial place for Cham monarchs. My Son is considered to be Champa's counter part to the grand cities of South-East Asia's other Indian influenced civilizations such as Angkor (Cambodia), Pagan (Myanmar), Ayuthaya (Thailand) and Borobudur (Java). My Son became a religious center under King Bhadravarman in the late 4th century until the 13th century, the longest period of development of any monument in South-East Asia. Most of the temples in My Son were dedicated to Cham kings associated with divinities, especially Shiva, who was regarded as the founder and protector of Champa's dynasties. The monuments at My Son have been classified by archaeologists into ten main groups lettered from A to K according their style and period where the buildings were constructed. Many of the My Son towers were destroyed or severely damaged during the Viet Nam war in the 60's.

Simhapura (Tra Kieu)
Also located outside of Da Nang is Simhapura, the Lion City, the first capital of Champa, serving its capacity from the 4th to the 8th centuries. Today, nothing remains of the city except the rectangular ramparts. A huge number of Cham artifacts, including some of the finest carvings are found from this site.

Indrapura (Dong Duong)
The Cham religious center of Indrapura was the site of an important Mayahana Buddhist monastery, the Monastery of Lakshmindra-Lokeshvara. Indrapura served as the capital of Champa from 860 to 986 until the capital was moved south to Vijaya (Cha Ban near Qui Nhon).

Po Nagar Towers
Located outside of Nha Trang, the Po Nagar (the Lady of the City) towers were built between the 7th and 12th centuries on a site used for Hindu worship as early as the 2nd century AD. There were once seven or eight towers at Po Nagar, four of which remain. At the site there is a mandapa (meditation hall) where worshipers must pray before proceeding to the kalan (sanctuary). The 23-meter high North tower, with its terraced pyramidal roof, vaulted interior masonry and vestibule, is a superb example of Cham architecture. It was built in 817 by King Harivarman I , 43 years after the original temples were sacked and burned by Indonesian corsairs.

Po Klong Garai Towers
Located in Phan Rang province, the Po Klong Garai site consists of four brick towers constructed at the end of 13th century during the reign of King Jaya Simhavarman III.

Po Ro Me Towers
Also located in Phan Rang is the Po Ro Me, one of the newest Cham tower. The tower is named after the last ruler of the independent Champa, King Po Ro Me (ruled 1629-1651) who died a prisoner of the Vietnamese.