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Sightseeing in Vientiane
Sightseeing in Vientiane
Vientiane was almost totally destroyed by the Thais in 1828. The “city” itself is probably the smallest, sleepiest national capital in the world. It still shows the impact of many years of French occupation and control. The French influence is still evident in the wonderful baguettes, coffee, bits of architecture, and layout of the streets. Don’t miss the several street and indoor markets. One of the indoor markets is a great place to buy jade, 18-karat through 24-karat (yes, really) jewelry, silks, and other local crafts.
Just walking the streets is pleasant, especially if you’ve recently come from Hanoi or Saigon. The roads have not been overrun with cars and scooters, you’ll almost never hear a horn tooted, and you can even cross the streets in relative safety!
The Wats
Wat Sisaket is the only temple that survived the 1828 invasion by the Thais. It is one of the most interesting temples in Laos, its walls covered with 6,840 Buddha images in niches and on shelves. There are also Buddhist inscriptions from the 18th century.
Wat Ho Phakeo was originally built in 1565 by King Setthathirat when he relocated the Lao (Lane Xang) capital to Vientiane (from Luang Prabang). The king built the temple to house the Emerald Buddha he brought from the Kingdom of Lanna.
Monuments
That Luang is the symbol of Laos. It is the most significant monument in Vientiane and was originally constructed in 1566 by the aforementioned King Setthathirat.
Patouxai was constructed (in 1958) entirely of cement and is centrally located. You can climb to the top for a great view of the city. Rumor has it that the monument was built with the cement provided by the US for constructing the new airport.
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