Constructed in 181 by the last king of the Lane Xang Empire - King Anouvong, this is the oldest and only Siamese temple remaining in Vientiane, as most of the city was sacked by the Siamese army in 1828. There is some speculation that this Wat was saved due to its Siamese style architecture.

Formerly known as Sri Sata Sahasaram, the temple still contains old inscriptions in the front of the gate. The Temple is renowned for the over 10,000 Buddha images ranging in size from only a few centimeters to over 1.5 metres tall. Many of the Buddhas are Lao style Buddhas featuring many unique characteristics, including exaggerated nipples and square noses, and specific statues including standing or praying for rain Buddha holding a pose with arms up and palms facing forward, as well as stop fighting or calling for peace Buddha.

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Last edited on May 15, 07 2:55 PM.
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Marie T.

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Marie T.

Apr 28, 2009

This old wooden temple is utterly stunning! It is thought to be the oldest in Vientiane. This wat has several unique features, although it is in the early Bangkok style. These include the cloister walls which are riddled with small niches containing over 2000 silver and ceramic Buddha images and the 300 or so big elegant Lao style Buddha statues made out of different materials and absolutely stunning. There are also some beautiful, although crumbling, murals and the grounds planted with coconut, banana and mango trees are extremely pleasant and peaceful. This truly is a beautiful place and one of my favourite wats in Laos.

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