Vientiane

Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is a small city situated on the banks of the Mekong River. It only has a population of around 200,000 people in the city proper and 730,000 people in the metropolitan area, making it one of the smallest capitals in Southeast Asia.

According to the Lao epic, Phra Lak Phra Lam, Vientiane was said to be founded by Prince Thattaradtha after he was passed over for the throne of the Lao kingdom of Muong Inthapatha Maha Nakhone in favor of his younger brother. Originally Thattaradtha had founded another city, Maha Thani Si Phan Phao, which is on the west bank of the Mekong river, and which eventually becomes the city of Udon Thani, today part of Thailand. According to legend, a seven-headed naga (serpent) told Thattaradtha to found another city, on the opposite bank of the Mekong from Maha Thani Si Phan Phao. He called this city Chanthabuly Si Sattanakhanahud, and it stands on the site of present-day Vientiane.

Historians disagree with the epic, however. They believe that Vientiane was a Khmer settlement around a Hindu temple which stood on the site of today's Pha That Luang. When the Lao and Thai people moved in, around the 11th and 12th centuries, the Khmers were either relocated, killed or assimilated into the Lao civilization.

In 1354, King Fa Ngum founded the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, with Vientiane as its administrative city (though not the capital). It only became the official capital of Lan Xang under King Setthathirath, in 1560. In 1707, the kingdom of Lan Xang split into three smaller kingdoms, Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Champasak. Vientiane became an independent kingdom until 1779, when it was conquered by the Siamese general Phraya Chakri, and made a vassal of Siam.

King Anouvong tried to rebel against Siamese rule in 1827, but the rebellion was quashed. Amidst increasing pressure from France, Siam eventually relinquished Laos to French control in 1893. It became the capital of the French protectorate of Laos in 1899.

The original name of the city "Viangchan" became "Vientiane" under the French, because the French had difficulties in pronouncing the "ch" sound. The name of the city is said to mean "Grove of Sandalwood" in Pali, although in the native Lao language, "Viangchan" means "City of the Moon".

Visitors to Vientiane will find it to be a city with lots of Buddhist temples. The style of construction bears some resemblance to those in Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai. On this page, we will take you to explore some of the temples we have managed to document for EarthDocumentary.

Patuxai Monument, Vientiane, Laos
Copyright © Timothy Tye. Enquire here about re-using this photo

That Dam, Vientiane, Laos
Copyright © Timothy Tye. Stock Photo for Sale

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