Phu Yen landmark named among world's leading city monuments

Its design was inspired by the province's Ghenh Da Dia (The Cliff of Stone Plates), considered a symbol of the locality, and the legend of the "one hundred eggs and one hundred children" of Father Lac Long Quan and Mother Au Co.

It surpassed other nominees such as the African Renaissance Monument in Senegal, Monument of the Discoveries in Portugal and the Angel of Užupis in Lithuania to claim the title, the organizers said at the awards ceremony in Dubai on Friday.

Built in 2021, the square in Tuy Hoa, the beach city and capital of the central province of Phu Yen, spreads over 7,200 square meters at the intersection of Nguyen Huu Tho and Doc Lap streets.

It has two stone columns, one 35 meters tall and representing Lac Long Quan and the other 30 meters and representing Au Co. Fifty stone blocks are stacked on top of each other at the bottom of each tower.

Since its inauguration the place, which can accommodate around 10,000 people, has been used to host cultural and artistic events.

The World Travel Awards, dubbed "the Oscars of the travel industry," is a prestigious organization that rewards excellence across the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.

The annual awards are based on votes cast by travel industry professionals and the public.

A month ago Nghinh Phong Tower Square became the first Southeast Asian representative to win the Asian Urban Landscape Award.

Situated 120 kilometers from Nha Trang, Phu Yen is famous for its long, sandy beaches and ancient pagodas.

Last month online travel agency Agoda listed it as one of eight emerging tourist destinations in Vietnam.