The Long Wall of Quảng Ngãi is often absent from the world’s collective imagination, which almost instinctively turns to China when the term Great Wall is mentioned. Yet in central Viet Nam, hidden behind densely forested mountains and the villages of inland ethnic communities, stands a structure no less monumental.
Stretching for 127.4 kilometers, the Long Wall of Quảng Ngãi is the longest monument in Southeast Asia, a fact that remains little known to the wider public. This massive structure runs from the northern part of Quang Ngai Province into the territory of Binh Dinh Province.
Its existence only truly entered academic discourse in 2011, when archaeologists announced it as Viet Nam’s most important archaeological discovery of the past century. The research was led by Dr. Andrew Hardy of the École française d’Extrême-Orient and Dr. Nguyen Tien Dong of the Viet Nam Institute of Archaeology.
Built for More Than Defense
The Long Wall of Quảng Ngãi was constructed from alternating sections of stone and compacted earth, reaching heights of up to four meters in certain areas.
Historical records and field evidence indicate that construction began in 1819, under the direction of Le Van Duyet, a senior official of the Nguyen Dynasty who served Emperor Gia Long. The project was carried out through cooperation between lowland Viet communities and the Hrê ethnic group living in the mountainous regions.
Its function extended far beyond military defense. Much like Hadrian’s Wall in Britain, the wall followed the route of an earlier ancient road.
In addition to serving as a defensive system, it functioned as a mechanism to regulate trade flows, travel, and economic relations between lowland societies and highland communities.
Along its course, researchers have identified more than 50 ancient fortifications. These forts were used not only to maintain security but also to collect taxes from traders passing through the route.
Archaeological evidence further shows that many markets, temples, and settlements along this corridor predate the construction of the wall itself, underscoring that the area had long served as a vital zone of human activity.
A Great Legacy Still Off the Beaten Path
Despite often being dubbed the “Great Wall of Viet Nam,” the Long Wall of Quảng Ngãi remains largely untouched by mass tourism. Much of the structure is still well preserved, running across tropical rainforests, remote valleys, and ethnic villages where traditional ways of life continue to endure.
Its rugged terrain makes the wall difficult to access, even for experienced hikers. In many sections, the structure appears to blend seamlessly into the natural environment, framed by moss, trees, and the contours of the tropical highlands, with little sign of modern intervention.
