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This temple is located
in the center of the old city and was built in
1818 by King Anouvong and is Vientiane’s
oldest remaining temple having survived the destination of the city by
the
Siamese in 1828. |
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The oldest monastery
stands intact in its original from and certainly
is one of the most interesting in the country. Inside the main hall,
the
courtyard walls house hundreds of little niches and shelves containing
a total
of 6,840 Buddha images. Ho Trai is a hall containing many Buddhist
manuscripts,
which were published in the 18th century. The temple is also
renowned after featuring as the Lao national emblem at the 1970 Expo
Osaka in Japan. |
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The temple is opened
daily from 08:00H to 12:00H and 13:00H to 16:00H. |
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Previously the ancient
temple,
it was built in 1565 by King Saysetthathirath to house the Emerald
Buddha (lost
to the Siamese in 1828) as his personal place of worship. For this
reason and
unlike other temples in Laos,
monks have not taken up residence here. During the 1970’s the temple
was
converted from a place of worship into a museum and it now houses
nation’s
finest collection of Buddhist sculpture and artifacts. |
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From the terrace of Hor
Phrakeo a view overlooking the President’
Palace (former Royal
Palace)
and gardens can
be enjoyed. The museum is open daily 08:00H to 12:00H and 13:00H to
16:00H. |
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Originally built in 1566
by King Saysetthathirath, That Luang Stupa was
rebuilt in 1953. The golden stupa stands 45 meters tall and is believed
to
contain a relic of Lord Buddha. Today it is the nation’s most important
cultural monument. Symbolizing the coming together of all Lao people it
holds a
special place in the national psyche. |
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The gold colored
centerpiece of this stupa echoes the curve of an
elongated Lotus bud. The shrine is the focus for the annual That Luang
Festival. The festival is celebrated for 7 days and nights during the
twelfth
full moon of the Buddhist lunar calendar where monks are presented with
flower
offerings and residents enjoy traditional cultural performances. |
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That Luang Stupa is open
from 8:00H to 16:00H, except Mondays and
public holidays. |
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Wat Inpeng Pagoda is a
historical landmark of arts and culture, located
on the north of Wat
Ongtue
Temple.
There are many historical elements of interest to those studying Lao
art and
culture including the rock sculptures, Buddha image and rock columns
depicting
Mon and Khmer cultures.Despite many of the original items in this
temple having
since been removed. The pagoda still corresponds to the King of Gods.
It was
once said that during construction, He transformed himself into an old
wise man
to assist with construction. Legend also holds that He further
transformed
himself into an old white monk to help construct the Buddha image. From
then
on, the temple became known as Wat Inpeng, which means “to transform”. |
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The original foundation
pillar of Vientiane
can be found in Wat Simuang, which is located in Simuang village along
the Sethathirath Road.
It was built in 1956 and is thought to be guarded by the spirit a local
girl
called “Si”. Local legend has it that Nang Si, who was pregnant at the
time,
leapt to her death as a sacrifice, just as the pillar was being lowered
into
the hold. A very colorful Phasat Pheung (wax pavilion procession) takes
place
two days prior to the That Luang Festival in November, which attracts
large
crowds to Wat
Simuang
Temple. |
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The so-called " black
stupa" Or That Dam, local mythology
says the stupa is the abode o f dormant seven-headed dragon that
came to
life during the 1828 Siamese-Lao war and protected lacal cities. The
stupa appears
to date from the Lanna or early Lane Xang period and is very similar to
stupas
in Chiang Saen, Thailand. Until recenly
That Dam
was overgrown with weeds sprouting through cracks in its an stucco
structure; a
1995 renovation sealed the cracks but it still looks old and
atmospheric. |
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The Xieng Khouang
Buddha
Park
is a religious
sculpture park, which was built in 1958. A collection of Buddhist and
Hindu
sculptures is scattered amongst gardens and trees. Built about 28
kilometers
south of Vientiane backing onto the Mekong River,
the town of Nongkhai in neighboring Thailand
can be
seen on the opposite side of the river. |
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The park is open daily
from 08:00H to 16:30H. |
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The memorial monument of Patuxay is perhaps the
most prominent landmark in the city. It was constructed in its
prominent
position on Lanexang
Avenue
in 1958. While the architecture was inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris the design
incorporates typical Lao motifs including “Kinnari”, a mythical bird
woman. |
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Energetic
visitors can climb to the top of the monument. Which
reveals an excellent panoramic view of the city? The monument is open
daily
from 08:00H to 17:00H. |
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