According to the people of Lý Sơn, dozens of whale skeletons are kept on the island. However, only two sets of “Đồng Đình Đại vương” and “Đức Ngư Nhị Vị Tôn Thần” remain in their original state and have been fully restored.
On July 3, leader of Lý Sơn Special Zone, Quảng Ngãi province, said that the Vietnam Records Organisation (VietKings) has officially recognised two reconstructed whale skeletons housed at Tân Mausoleum on Lý Sơn island district (now Lý Sơn Special Zone), as the largest of their kind in Việt Nam.
The record, awarded on June 20, highlights the Tân Mausoleum relic site in Lý Sơn as the site preserving and exhibiting two ancient whale skeletons, each dating back 250–300 years.
The larger skeleton, measuring 22 metres in length, is locally known as Đồng Đình Đại vương, while the smaller, 18 metres long, is referred to as Đức Ngư Nhị Vị Tôn Thần. Each skeleton includes 50 vertebrae, 28 ribs, and a complete skull.
In 2020, Lý Sơn authority launched a restoration project and built a dedicated exhibition space at the Tân Mausoleum relic site. The restoration was completed in 2022, and since then, Lý Sơn has strengthened efforts to promote the site to visitors.
Tân Mausoleum, now home to the country’s largest whale skeletons, has become a popular destination for visitors exploring the volcanic island of Lý Sơn.
Minh Thiện
