In a remote area of the south-central coastal province of Binh Dinh, there is a place that will intrigue those who come to Vinh Son Commune, Vinh Thanh District. This place is the ancient rock citadel of Ta Kon.
For a long time, Vinh Son has been considered the “Da Lat of Binh Dinh” thanks to its temperate climate and many beautiful landscapes. Located on a mountain at nearly 800 metres above sea level, Vinh Son has its own unique and pristine beauty. Specifically, this locality has the Ta Kon ancient citadel, which is quite strange.
The rock citadel is located in the forest, about four kilometres from the main road. The entrance passes through a barrier controlled by the ranger station. The entrance is quite small, with many signposts in dangerous places due to small slick roads that slither like a snake, not to mention the erratic uphill and downhill slopes.
In the language of the Ba Na ethnic minority people, “Ta Kon” is “overlapping”. It means that rocks overlap each other in a mysterious way that is difficult to explain. Indeed, this destination has prismatic rock formations that overlap each other, stretching for more than a hundred metres along the mountainside. Large individual rocks stacked on top of each other like giant pillars. Looking at the majestic rock wall in the old forest, visitors can imagine the battles to protect the territory of the Ba Na people that may have happened here in the past, now all are submerged in the silence and moss of the mountains and forests. This is just imaginary, but in reality these rocks are formed by tectonic changes millions of years ago. The hexagonal and cylindrical rocks are adjacent to each other, creating a towering wall that stands majestically amidst the great mountains and forests in Vinh Son.
Ta Kon Citadel has become an epic legend of Ba Na Krim inhabitants. Legend has it that the area of Ta Kon Citadel was once the base of the Tay Son insurgent army from the early days of the uprising. Today, Ta Kon Citadel has been listed as a relic by the Binh Dinh Provincial People’s Committee since December 25, 2013.
Luong Tung - Translated by NDO