Pha That Luang is a stupa covered in gold and not only a sacred monument, but also a national symbol. To understand its importance, just take a look at the currency, Laotian art and literature, or the national emblem of Laos. You’ll notice that the stupa holds a central place in the nation’s identity. Locals usually refer to the temple as Wat Pha That Luang. Legend says it contains the breastbone of Buddha. It’s no wonder that many devoted Buddhists from all over the world visit the Pha That Luang temple. Even if you’re not religious, the stupa is one of the obligatory sights in Laos.
History of the Pha That Luang stupa
To keep things interesting and provide you a comprehensive history of the Pha That Luang monument, we created a timeline with the most important milestones. It’s not exactly known when the stupa was originally built, but according to the legend, it has been established when five Buddhist monks brought the breastbone of Buddha to the area. Let’s take a look at the timeline:
- 3rd century BC: Pha That Luang is built by five monks
- 13th century: The stupa is rebuilt as a Khmer temple and falls into ruin
- 16th century: Laotian King Setthathirat relocates the capital to Vientiane and orders the reconstruction
- 1828: Pha That Luang gets destroyed during the Thai invasion
- 20th century: The monument gets reconstructed in the 1930s, but destroyed during the Franco-Thai war. After a peace treaty brokered by the Japanese between France and Thailand, Pha That Luang gets reconstructed.
This timeline shows the turbulent history of Pha That Luang very well. With so many reconstructions, you can safely assume that the monument and its surrounding area don’t look exactly like they did in the past. Nonetheless, it remains an amazing landmark. Given its cultural importance, it can even rival the different sights in Luang Prabang. After all, it’s the centerpiece of the Boun That Luang Festival.
Why you have to visit Pha That Luang
You’re probably more interested in the reasons to visit Pha That Luang than its historical background. That’s why we want to give you a comprehensive overview of what makes up the Pha That Luang complex so special. We say complex because besides the gold-covered stupa, you’re going to find gardens, shrines, temples and many other attractions. Just don’t forget to dress appropriately before entering the site. We don’t remember how strict they are, but you can assume that modest attire is required. Generally, knees and shoulders should be covered.
Impressive architecture
The architecture of Pha That Luang is impressive, but the shrines and temples are not something that you can’t find elsewhere. The stupa, on the other hand, is really impressive. Here are some key aspects of the monument:
- Height of 45 metres
- Intricate carvings and decorations
- Most of the stupa is painted in gold color
- Only the pinaccle is covered in gold leaf
- The walls around the complex are each around 85 metres long
Despite the impressive architecture and its huge cultural significance, Pha That Luang is not officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, it’s part of the Tentative List since 1992.
Beautiful sculptures
When talking about Pha That Luang, people usually refer to the stupa, since that is the main attraction. That doesn’t mean that the surrounding area has nothing to offer. In our opinion, it’s a central part of the overall experience and by itself definitely worth a visit. One of the highlights are the different sculptures located around the stupa. In addition to the more prominent ones like King Jayavarman VII, there are also many other sculptures resembling Buddha, deities, or mythological creatures.
Cultural importance
We already mentioned that Pha That Luang has enormous cultural importance for the people in Laos. Almost everyone knows about the stupa, and there’s even a festival celebrated there. The festival we’re talking about is the Boun That Luang Festival. We’re going to explore it later in this article. In fact, there’s hardly any tourist brochure in Vientiane that doesn’t mention the religious monument. Even when it comes to Laos in general, you can expect that there’s at least one section dedicated to it. Otherwise, the monument wouldn’t be such a central part of the nation’s heritage. Other landmarks like the Patuxai Victory Monument also have cultural significance, but you simply can’t compare them to Pha That Luang. Especially when it comes to the importance it holds for the locals itself.
Nice souvenirs
You’ll find nice souvenirs at almost every major tourist attraction in Laos. Still, we thought we should mention it. While many of the souvenirs are typical items that you can find at most places, there are also some special ones created by monks living in the complex. Not all the souvenirs are intended for tourists. Some are in Lao language and target local visitors. Even outside the Pha That Luang complex, you’re going to see some souvenir shops. Most of them sell traditional clothing made of silk. There’s a good reason for that: Not all visitors are dressed appropriately to visit, and just very few want to go back to their hotel to change.
Entrance fee for Pha That Luang temple
Like most attractions in Laos, the entrance fee for Pha That Luang isn’t very high. A ticket is 3.000 kip for Laotians and 10.000 kip for foreigners. With the current exchange rate, that’s not even half a US dollar. With the ticket, you can visit the stupa, the surrounding temples, and the beautiful gardens. Sounds like a good deal, right?
What about the women selling birds outside?
One thing you’ll notice when visiting Pha That Luang for the first time are the women in front of the temple selling small birds like sparrows in cages. That’s not just a thing here, but also in many other religious sites like Mount Phou Si or Wat Xieng Thong. You don’t actually buy the birds to eat them or keep as pets. The purpose is to release them free again. As you may already think, that’s a controversial practice and not everyone likes it. The prices vary greatly. If you don’t want to pay 100.000 kip, feel free to bargain. You can definitely negotiate for less than half the price.
How to get to Pha That Luang monument
The Pha That Luang temple is located in central Vientiane, and except for some other sites like Vat That Khao, there isn’t too much to do around the immediate vicinity. Since the temple is well known, you can easily book a ride from your hotel or just ask a taxi or tuk tuk driver to take you there. How much you’ll have to pay depends on your bargaining skills. Expect to pay around 50,000 to 100,000 kip. If you need directions, just take a look at the map. Depending on the location of your accommodation, you might be able to walk there.
Opening times
Pha That Luang is open every day from 08:00 to 17:00. From what we know, you can even visit it outside of these hours. Some sources say it closes around 12:00 for one hour, but we can’t confirm that. So feel free to come anytime.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit is early in the morning, when it’s neither too hot nor too crowded. If you don’t sleep in too late, just come here between 09:00 or 10:00. The worst time is around noon, since the sun is at its peak and it can be incredibly hot. Technically, you can also visit Pha That Luang outside of the regular opening hours. Even though you won’t be able to go inside, at nighttime the monument is illuminated, which makes for a beautiful sight. Trust us, the atmosphere is truly breathtaking.
Significance of the Boun That Luang Festival
Among festivals in Laos, the Boun That Luang is one of the most important. The festival is held for at least three days during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month. Hundreds of monks from all over Laos gather to participate in religious ceremonies. The event features joyful parades, traditional games, vibrant trade fairs, and much more. Many Laotians wear their best clothes just to take part in the festivities and pay their respects. At the end of the festival, fireworks light up the sky.