Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket

Wat Si Saket was built in 1818 at the corner where Lane Xang Road and Setthathirat Road meet in the capital, Vientiane. It is a Buddhist temple and also the oldest temple in Vientiane. It was restored twice by French colonists, in 1924 and 1930.

The temple was commissioned by King Anouvong. Having been educated in the Bangkok court, he designed Wat Si Saket in the Siamese style of Buddhist architecture rather than the traditional Lao style. Some say it was precisely because the temple shared the same architectural style as most temples in Siam that it was spared when the Siamese suppressed King Anouvong’s rebellion in 1827 and razed most other temples in Vientiane to the ground. Others claim that the Siamese used the temple as their headquarters and lodgings during their attack on Vientiane, which is why it survived.

The temple is surrounded by terraces and features a richly decorated five-tiered roof. Its inner corridor walls are lined with small niches housing over 2,000 ceramic and silver Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes.

Wat Sisaket

Must-visit reason: The oldest temple in Vientiane

Continent: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region: Laos

Province/State: Vientiane Municipality