Wat Phra Kaew

Located in the center of Vientiane, Wat Phra Kaew is one of the city’s most ancient temples, which owns great stories about 450 years of history. Although nowadays, the site is no longer used for worship, it is still considered a highly sacred place in Laos that is worth preserving for future generations.

Wat Phra Kaew was built in 1565 by King Setthathirat with the main purpose to be the royal chapel of Laos Monarchy and to store the Emerald Buddha. Unfortunately, the Siamese empire invaded the city 2 times and destroyed the temple. After that, it was rebuilt in 1942 and kept until now. The current construction is quite new in comparison with the original one, but it still reflects the ancient impression due to the dark colors of the exterior, especially the carvings and the walls.

Inside Wat Phra Kaew is an interesting museum displaying some of the best Laos Buddhist sculptures and Laos treasures such as carvings, stone tablets, manuscripts, throne, and bronze drums. Outside, there is a fantastic lush garden with lovely flowers, green lawns, and couples of charming statues among shaded trees.

Wat Phra Kaew is centrally located in Vientiane, so it is very easy to access the site by a private car, a bike, or go on foot. Other nearby famous attractions that can be combine in your day tour are the Patuxai monument, Wat Si Saket, Pha That Luang, Presidential Palace…

Vientiane has a tropical climate with 2 main distinct seasons: dry and wet. The averages temperature ranges from 24°C to 37°C. You can visit Wat Phra Kaew any time in the year, especially during the dry season from November to January. Like other religious sites in Laos, the temple is more crowded at weekends.

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