A trip to Vientiane cannot be complete without understanding its rich heritage. The art and cultural activities in Vientiane will give you an insight into the city's history, traditions, and artwork. While visiting the cultural attractions in Vientiane would prove to be informative, attending its artsy events will leave you entertained. From cultural performances to historical monuments that give you a glimpse of the past, take a look at this list to know Vientiane better. Include these in attractions in your itinerary for Vientiane and have a great vacation.
Top Places for Art and Cultural Activities in Vientiane
Check the list of top places for art and culture in Vientiane:
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Wat Si Saket
(200 Votes)This is Vientiane’s oldest surviving ‘wat’ or temple. It was built sometime between 1819 or 1824. The cloister walls of this temple are decorated with thousands of images of Buddha. Many of these were damaged in the 1828 Siamese-Lao war. The main point of attraction here is the Khmer-style Buddha seated on a coiled naga. The 5-meter sculpture is on display in front of the main...Read more -
Buddha Park
(150 Votes)Photography lovers have plenty of reasons to visit Buddha Park. For one, it is Laos’ most famous park for photography. There are around 200 religious statues in this garden. each of these sculptures have been magnified according to their importance and carefully decorated by craftsmen. Buddha is accompanied by sculptures of Hindu gods like Indra riding the three-headed elephant, a four-ar...Read more -
Pha That Luang
(87 Votes)The Great Sacred Stupa or the Pha That Luang is the holiest Buddhist stupa in Vientiane. Originally built as a Hindu temple in the 3rd century. Missionaries from the court of Emperor Ashoka brought a bone from Lord Buddha’s body to lie here and from then this temple assumed importance for the Buddhist monks. King Setthathirat built the gold stupa visible today in the year 1566. Today, thi...Read more -
Wat Si Muang
(310 Votes)This temple is revered as the guardian of the city of Vientiane. According to the local legend, a young pregnant woman named Si Muang sacrificed herself to appease the angry spirits that were obstructing the construction of this temple in 1563. The pillar under which she was sacrificed became the central pillar surrounding which the city of Vientiane expanded. Every year during the Boun Thatlua...Read more -
Haw Phra Kaew
(73 Votes)The Ho Pra Keo was built in 1565 as the royal family’s personal chapel. For a brief while in the 18th century, it housed the precious Emerald Buddha that is now housed in the Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok. The temple has been converted into a museum that exhibits the gilded throne of Laos, wooden carvings, palm-leaf manuscripts, bronze frog drums, Khmer Buddhist stone tablets etc. that form a ...Read more -
That Dam
(171 Votes)Legends say that the Black Stupa or the That Dam is the hiding place of the 7-headed dragon that guards the city of Vientiane from the Emperor of Siam. It was believed to be covered in gold, before it was stripped off by the Siamese in an 1827 invasion. It has been called Black Stupa since then. Today, it is just the middle of a roundabout connecting Chantha Khaoumane Road and Bartholoni Road. ...Read more -
Wat Mixai
(116 Votes)The Wat Mixay temple is a complete lesson in Laotian architecture. The most spectacular part of this building is its roof. This temple is relatively smaller when comparing it with its contemporaries and other temples in Vientiane. However, the architectural style and decoration of this temple can hardly be compared to any other. The main altar as well as the path leading up to it has been cover...Read more -
Laos has been a home to various minorities and the Vietnamese are one such group who have made Vientiane their home. The harassment of the French dominants and the advent of a deadly famine forced around two million Vietnamese citizens to move to Laos for survival. Here, they were welcomed with open arms and allowed to reside freely along with the locals. In the honour of their traditions, they...Read more
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Wat Inpeng
(36 Votes)While most temples in Vientiane have been converted into museums, the Wat Inpeng temple is one of the active Buddhist temples in Vientiane. Here you will see daily prayers happening at specific times. The temple complex consists of a golden-coloured stupa, a three-story drum tower, and a square-shaped Ho Trai or library in a stone building. This library contains ancient manuscripts of dry palm ...Read more -
Wat Chan
(49 Votes)Located close to the Mekong river, the Wat Chan temple is one of the less popular temples of Vientiane. Like most temples in Laos, this one is guarded by a three-headed snake. The multi-tiered roof is supported by two pillars with capitals in the shape of lotuses. The main doors and secondary entrances of the temple are adorned with wooden carvings. Panels inside the main prayer hall show Buddh...Read more