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Vientiane is the capital of Laos, and it is a city with a long and exciting history, which you still get the impression of today when visiting the city. Vientiane is located along the northern bank of the Mekong River on the border with Thailand in an area that has been ruled by changing governments and cultures over time.
Settlements are believed to have sprung up at this site in the 8th century, and according to the Lao national epic Phra Lak Phra Lam, the precursor to Vientiane was founded when a seven-headed naga asked Prince Thattaradtha to move an already founded city to the current area along the Mekong.
The earliest reference to the name Vientiane is known from 1159, where Văn Đan is mentioned in a conflict between Khmers and Vietnamese. Vientiane was a vassal of the Khmer Empire before Fa Ngum founded the Kingdom of Lan Xang in 1354. Vientiane was officially established as the capital in 1563. In 1779, the Thais conquered the city, which became subject to Siam before French colonial rule from 1893 to independent Laos became a reality in 1953.
Today, Laos is a city with several sights, many of which were built after the great destruction of the city by the Siamese in 1827-1828. You can take some lovely walks along the Mekong and in central Vientiane, where you can see several temples, the country’s elegant presidential palace, the triumphal arch of Patuxai and the national museum, which provides good knowledge of Laotian history and culture.
Patuxai is a large arch that was built in central Vientiane in the years 1957-1968. The arch was built as a monument to all those who fought for the country’s independence and thereby for independence from France. The arch should be seen as a triumphal arch and the architecture is distinctly traditional Laotian.
The great monument was built with American funds and from construction materials that were actually intended to build a new airport. The Royal Lao Government built the monument instead, which was designed by self-taught Lao sculptor Tham Sayasthsena. His design was selected in an architectural competition.
Patuxai is 49 meters high and monumental in its form of expression. The Arc de Triomphe is located at the end of the magnificent Lan Xang Street, where it was originally built as a monument to the fight against France. When the Pathet Lao took power in 1975 and replaced the monarchy with a communist direction, the twenty later renamed the arch a monument to the heroes of the 1975 takeover.
The triumphal arch is decorated with, among other things, sculptures from Indian mythology that decorate the concrete arch with its four entrances. The numbers four and seven appear in the building’s dimensions with the four columns measuring 4×4 meters, while the entire structure is 7×7 meters high. The arch is worth seeing, and you can climb it, from where there is a nice view of the Laotian capital.
Wat Si Saket is a Buddhist temple in Vientiane. It was built in 1818 by order of King Anouvong, who ruled from 1805-1828, and built in a modern style for its time with Buddhist architecture. Only a few years after its construction, the temple was used as headquarters and accommodation for the Siamese army that attacked and sacked Vientiane in a rebellion against the king installed in the kingdom of Lang Xang by Thailand’s King Rama I.
Considered the oldest surviving temple in the Laotian capital, Wat Si Saket is a sight to behold that was spared during the fighting of 1827-1828, when large parts of Vientiane were otherwise destroyed. It is believed that Wat Si Saket was preserved because the temple style was related to Thai temples and thus did not stand in Laotian architecture.
In the 1930s, the French colonial administration restored Wat Si Saket, and it still stands beautifully today. The central temple building with its multi-part roof is surrounded by a terrace and a courtyard environment framed by the cloister wall with more than 2,000 ceramic and silver Buddha figures. It is a beautiful sight and one can also enjoy the peaceful atmosphere that prevails here or see the temple museum with more knowledge about the place.
Pha That Luang is a large gilded stupa that stands in the center of Vientiane. According to legend, the first construction of the stupa was carried out in the 200s, where it is said that the Indian emperor Açoka brought one of the Buddha’s sternum here, which is why a stupa was built. However, this old story cannot be confirmed archaeologically, but buildings from later times are better known.
Remains of later works have thus been found on the site, where, for example, a Khmer temple was built in the 13th century. However, the documented history only began when King Sai Setthathirath moved his residence from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Here he initiated the construction of a stupa on the remains of the old Khmer temple, and the king inaugurated the stupa in 1566.
It is generally considered the most important national monument of Laos as well as a national symbol. During the Siamese conquest in 1827-1828, Pha That Luang suffered significant damage, which was aggravated by a lightning strike in 1896. The French colonial government restored the stupa in 1900, but chose to rebuild it in the 1930s, so that it remained true to the original construction.
The great stupa is 45 meters in height and the top represents a stylized banana flower. Below the stupa there are three terraces that get smaller towards the top, and here you can see stylized lotus leaves. You can see many miniature stupas on the upper terrace and around the monument you can see several statues standing in both Khmer and Lao style.
Haw Phra Kaew is a now former temple in Vientiane that was built in 1565-1566 to house the so-called Emerald Buddha, which today is kept in the temple Wat Phra Kaew in the Thai capital Bangkok. Today, the temple building is arranged as an exciting museum of religious art.
The temple was once built by King Sai Setthathirath in connection with him moving his residence and thereby the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Built as part of the king’s palace complex, the temple was built to house the emerald Buddha that King Sai Setthathirath had brought from Chiang Mai.
Haw Phra Kaew was used as King Sai Setthathirath’s personal temple, and no monks lived there, as was the case in other monasteries in Laos. The Emerald Buddha was kept in Haw Phra Kaew for over 200 years before the Siamese general Chao Phraya Chakri sacked the temple in 1776 and took the figure to his then capital Thonburi near present-day Bangkok.
Chao Phraya Chakri destroyed Haw Phra Kaew during the looting, which King Anouvong rebuilt in 1816. A new Buddha figure was also produced to replace the stolen emerald Buddha. The temple was destroyed again in 1828, when Siamese troops attacked and destroyed Vientiane in connection with King Anouvong’s desire and struggle for full independence from Siam.
The current temple was built by the French government in the years 1936-1942, and although the remains of Anouvong’s temple were used, the building was rebuilt in a 19th century style that is not believed to be the original. In the 1970s, the temple was closed and reopened as a museum, where you can see beautiful religious art from Laos, which goes back many centuries.
The Kaysone Phomvihane Museum is a museum that was opened in 1996 as a monument to the Laotian leader Kaysone Phomvihane, who was involved in the Laos and Indochina freedom struggle. In a way, he became for Laos what Ho Chi Minh was for neighboring Vietnam. Kaysone Phomvihane became leader of the Pathet Lao and Prime Minister from 1975 to 1991, then President until his death in 1992.
The museum is an impressive temple-style building. At the museum, you can see various items from Kaysone Phomvihane’s life, and the exhibitions depict, among other things, his career in the context of Laos’ revolutionary history. At the museum you can see a bronze statue of Kaysone Phomvihane, flanked by Soviet soldiers in separate sculpture groups.
That Dam is a stupa in Vientiane, and the name That Dam also means ‘the black stupa’. The stupa stands picturesquely in a roundabout surrounded by greenery in the central part of the Laotian capital. The fine edifice was not originally black, but instead covered in gold, as is seen on many other stupas in the country and areas where Theravada Buddhism is practiced.
It was the attacking Siamese troops who in 1827 removed the gold from the stupa, which has since then appeared with its building stone as a surface. Mythology tells that the stupa was built at the entrance to a cave that was home to a seven-headed naga snake, and that the snake tried to protect the Lao from the Siamese army that invaded in 1827.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, also known as Vientiane Cathedral. The church was built in 1928, when Laos was part of French Indochina, and today the church is quite close to the French embassy.
The church’s architecture is neo-Romanesque in style, and you can clearly see the French background with, among other things, depictions of the saints Joan of Arc and Thérèse of Lisieux. The interior of the cathedral is cozy and relatively subdued in decoration.
Settha Palace Hotel is a hotel in Vientiane, and it exudes a colonial atmosphere. And there is a good reason for that, as the hotel is housed in a building from 1932, which was built during the time of French rule in Indochina. The hotel’s interior design even harkens back to 1930s Vientiane.
The impression is dominated by muted colours, stylish interiors with chandeliers and facilities such as the Belle Epoque restaurant, which with French dishes on the menu help to give an experience from the colonial era.
Laos’ National Museum is a museum where you can take a closer look and learn about interesting parts of Laotian history. The museum is located in the former residence of French governors in Indochina. The house was built in 1925, and it is in itself part of the history of Vientiane and Laos.
In the exhibitions, you can see depictions of Laos’ national liberation struggle through, among other things, the 1800s and 1900s to achieve independence from foreign powers. You can also see descriptions of the Lan Xang kingdom, finds from other ancient kingdoms and various other effects and themes.
Wat Si Muang is a Buddhist temple in Vientiane. It was built in 1563 in what was then the Kingdom of Lan Xang. The temple belongs to the most important temples in the Laotian capital, and it was built at the southeast entrance to Vientiane in its time.
Today’s temple building is not the original one from the 16th century. The original Wat Si Muang was one of the many buildings in Vientiane that were destroyed in 1827-1828 when the Siamese Thais attacked and destroyed large parts of the city. However, you can see preserved parts dating back to Khmer times.
The Presidential Palace in Vientiane is the official residence of the President of Laos, who also holds the title of Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. The palace overlooks the Mekong River with only a park between the palace and the water. In the park just in front of the presidential palace, there is a statue of King Anouvong looking out over the river.
A palace was built in Vientiane in 1560, and in 1973 the then Royal Lao Government decided to build the current Presidential Palace on the same site. The communist Pathet Lao took over power in the country in 1975, and this meant that the palace’s construction time was extended, so that the palace was completed in 1986. At that time, it was used as a meeting place, and only later did it become the residence of the president.
It was local architect Khamphoung Phonekeo who designed the elegant palace building, which is architecturally inspired by the Beaux Arts. The palace has tall colonnades and shaded balconies, and there are lawns around the building that are not open to the public.
Buddha Park is a sculpture park located close to the Mekong River in the area southeast of the Lao capital, Vientiane. In the park you can see several hundred religious statues from Hinduism and Buddhism. The park was established by the monk Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat in 1958, who integrated Hindu symbols and rituals with equivalents from Buddhism.
After the communist Lao revolution in 1975, Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat chose to move to Thailand, and here he founded the Buddha Park Sala Keoku, reminiscent of the Buddha Park, which is located just a few kilometers southeast of the Buddha Park on the opposite bank of the Mekong and thereby in Thailand.
The quite impressive Buddha statues in the park were produced in concrete, and they look both old and atmospheric in the green park setting. However, they were set up as new productions for the purpose, and here you can see, among other things, depictions of people, animals, gods and demons. Of course, there are also quite a few figures of Buddha.
Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos
Overview of Vientiane
Vientiane is the capital of Laos, and it is a city with a long and exciting history, which you still get the impression of today when visiting the city. Vientiane is located along the northern bank of the Mekong River on the border with Thailand in an area that has been ruled by changing governments and cultures over time.
Settlements are believed to have sprung up at this site in the 8th century, and according to the Lao national epic Phra Lak Phra Lam, the precursor to Vientiane was founded when a seven-headed naga asked Prince Thattaradtha to move an already founded city to the current area along the Mekong.
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Haw Phra Kaew is a now former temple in Vientiane that was built in 1565-1566 to house the so-called Emerald Buddha, which today is kept in the temple Wat Phra Kaew in the Thai capital Bangkok. Today, the temple building is arranged as an exciting museum of religious art.
The temple was once built by King Sai Setthathirath in connection with him moving his residence and thereby the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Built as part of the king’s palace complex, the temple was built to house the emerald Buddha that King Sai Setthathirath had brought from Chiang Mai.
Haw Phra Kaew was used as King Sai Setthathirath’s personal temple, and no monks lived there, as was the case in other monasteries in Laos. The Emerald Buddha was kept in Haw Phra Kaew for over 200 years before the Siamese general Chao Phraya Chakri sacked the temple in 1776 and took the figure to his then capital Thonburi near present-day Bangkok.
Chao Phraya Chakri destroyed Haw Phra Kaew during the looting, which King Anouvong rebuilt in 1816. A new Buddha figure was also produced to replace the stolen emerald Buddha. The temple was destroyed again in 1828, when Siamese troops attacked and destroyed Vientiane in connection with King Anouvong’s desire and struggle for full independence from Siam.
The current temple was built by the French government in the years 1936-1942, and although the remains of Anouvong’s temple were used, the building was rebuilt in a 19th century style that is not believed to be the original. In the 1970s, the temple was closed and reopened as a museum, where you can see beautiful religious art from Laos, which goes back many centuries.
The Kaysone Phomvihane Museum is a museum that was opened in 1996 as a monument to the Laotian leader Kaysone Phomvihane, who was involved in the Laos and Indochina freedom struggle. In a way, he became for Laos what Ho Chi Minh was for neighboring Vietnam. Kaysone Phomvihane became leader of the Pathet Lao and Prime Minister from 1975 to 1991, then President until his death in 1992.
The museum is an impressive temple-style building. At the museum, you can see various items from Kaysone Phomvihane’s life, and the exhibitions depict, among other things, his career in the context of Laos’ revolutionary history. At the museum you can see a bronze statue of Kaysone Phomvihane, flanked by Soviet soldiers in separate sculpture groups.
That Dam is a stupa in Vientiane, and the name That Dam also means ‘the black stupa’. The stupa stands picturesquely in a roundabout surrounded by greenery in the central part of the Laotian capital. The fine edifice was not originally black, but instead covered in gold, as is seen on many other stupas in the country and areas where Theravada Buddhism is practiced.
It was the attacking Siamese troops who in 1827 removed the gold from the stupa, which has since then appeared with its building stone as a surface. Mythology tells that the stupa was built at the entrance to a cave that was home to a seven-headed naga snake, and that the snake tried to protect the Lao from the Siamese army that invaded in 1827.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, also known as Vientiane Cathedral. The church was built in 1928, when Laos was part of French Indochina, and today the church is quite close to the French embassy.
The church’s architecture is neo-Romanesque in style, and you can clearly see the French background with, among other things, depictions of the saints Joan of Arc and Thérèse of Lisieux. The interior of the cathedral is cozy and relatively subdued in decoration.
Settha Palace Hotel is a hotel in Vientiane, and it exudes a colonial atmosphere. And there is a good reason for that, as the hotel is housed in a building from 1932, which was built during the time of French rule in Indochina. The hotel’s interior design even harkens back to 1930s Vientiane.
The impression is dominated by muted colours, stylish interiors with chandeliers and facilities such as the Belle Epoque restaurant, which with French dishes on the menu help to give an experience from the colonial era.
Laos’ National Museum is a museum where you can take a closer look and learn about interesting parts of Laotian history. The museum is located in the former residence of French governors in Indochina. The house was built in 1925, and it is in itself part of the history of Vientiane and Laos.
In the exhibitions, you can see depictions of Laos’ national liberation struggle through, among other things, the 1800s and 1900s to achieve independence from foreign powers. You can also see descriptions of the Lan Xang kingdom, finds from other ancient kingdoms and various other effects and themes.
Wat Si Muang is a Buddhist temple in Vientiane. It was built in 1563 in what was then the Kingdom of Lan Xang. The temple belongs to the most important temples in the Laotian capital, and it was built at the southeast entrance to Vientiane in its time.
Today’s temple building is not the original one from the 16th century. The original Wat Si Muang was one of the many buildings in Vientiane that were destroyed in 1827-1828 when the Siamese Thais attacked and destroyed large parts of the city. However, you can see preserved parts dating back to Khmer times.
The Presidential Palace in Vientiane is the official residence of the President of Laos, who also holds the title of Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. The palace overlooks the Mekong River with only a park between the palace and the water. In the park just in front of the presidential palace, there is a statue of King Anouvong looking out over the river.
A palace was built in Vientiane in 1560, and in 1973 the then Royal Lao Government decided to build the current Presidential Palace on the same site. The communist Pathet Lao took over power in the country in 1975, and this meant that the palace’s construction time was extended, so that the palace was completed in 1986. At that time, it was used as a meeting place, and only later did it become the residence of the president.
It was local architect Khamphoung Phonekeo who designed the elegant palace building, which is architecturally inspired by the Beaux Arts. The palace has tall colonnades and shaded balconies, and there are lawns around the building that are not open to the public.
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