LAOS ~ Wat Xieng Thong - Luang Prabang - UNESCO ~

... Great view of probably the most popular Budhist temple in the city... also the most beautiful and complex... not only is the temple itself covered in intricate golden detail but there are also buildings surrounding the temple that create one completely magnificent masterpiece... Luang Prabang is the spiritual center of all of Laos... it has 34 UNESCO-protected temples within the small city... most wats here are living, breathing structures and social institutions... monks live, pray, meditate and study at them...  important ceremonies are still performed, devotees visit and pay respect... here you get a glimpses of real monastic life... Heel erg bedankt Benny!!【ツ】

Photo: Jatupom Rutnin
Wat Xieng Thong, once known as “The Temple of the Golden City”, holds great cultural, historic and architectural importance. It is situated near the tip of the peninsula at the confluence of two rivers, with a grand staircase leading up from the Mekong.

For centuries it was considered the ceremonial gateway to the town, with visiting dignitaries and soon-to-be-crowned kings arriving via these steps.

King Setthathirat, who ruled from 1548 till 1571, built Wat Xieng Thong in 1559. Over the years it has survived war and raids including the sacking of the city in 1887 by the Black Flag Army. Up until 1975, it was the site of coronation ceremonies for Lao kings.

Stamps:

Bananas
(Issued 01-11-2006)