Wat Visounnarath

Wat Visunnarath is one of the ancient temples in Luang Prabang, which was built in 1512 during the reign of King Visunnarath (Thao Phouphay). He built this temple on a single field or the rice fields, which is the area of Wat Visun today, and named the temple after his name. According to the Temple Legends of Luang Prabang, the King used wood from more than 4,000 trees to build the temple. It has a two-tiered roof with a Phuan art style, 12 pillars and 30 meters high. Moreover, there have exquisite, precious and beautiful architectures within the area of Wat Visun, consisting of That Pathoum (a Stupa of the Great Lotus) in the northeastern side, in which the villagers called it as That Makmo (the half watermelon stupa because of its rounded dome) built by the wife of King Visunnarath and covered Nong Sua (a pond) in the style of the Lankavi people; a gate, drum tower and sermon hall in the northern side; a residence for the abbot in the western side; and abodes (kuti) for monks and novices in the southwestern side. Pha Bang is one of the precious and important Buddha statues that Buddhists worship in Laos, which was enshrined in this temple twice, from 1513-1715 and 1839-1894.

[1]In 1887, the Ho Black Flag people burned and looted the city of Luang Prabang, in which this temple was also burned and lost a number of small and large important Buddha statues. By 1896, Wat Visunnarath had been repaired by King Khamsouk Sakkalin. In 1993 and 2016, Provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Division had repaired the roof structure, and built the sim (an ordination hall) with its structural bricks, clay roof tiles and its interior walls painted by lacquer covered with gold leaves.

The sim of Wat Visunnarath was built with bricks, and had a delicate and beautiful architecture and was decorated with the heads of Naga on gables. Its roof was decorated by the seventeen-segmented stupa formed Dok So Fa (Sattaboualapha) and Dok Ka Chang Dok Vanh Lan at the center of the ridgepole, with clay roof tiles. The original door structure of the sim made of wood is old and has been preserved since the beginning of the 16^th century. The main door was delicately carved and gilded, which was depicted the Hindu era. The pearl colors on the entrance were layered, supported by large white pillars, and the window balustrades were made of wood, which were resembled a stone castle in the Khom era like Angkor Wat and Wat Phou Champasack in southern Laos. The interior of the sim has the main Buddha statue with a 5-meter-wide and 64-centimeter-wide lap, which is the largest royal Buddha statue enshrined at the temple in Luang Prabang. This sim was formerly a national museum of religion consisting of a large number of ancient and artistic objects such as gilded Buddha statues covered with gold leaves as well as made of bronze, wood and lime mortar more than 400 years old, and stone inscriptions from the 15^th century.[2]

That Pathoum

The legend has it that That Pathoum (That Dok Bua Luang) was built in 1514 by Nang Phantixieng, the wife of King Visunnarath, and was covered Nong Sua in front of Wat Visun. That Pathoum was erected in the style of the Lankavi people with a height of 35 meters and in the form of dome shaped stupa, which is a unique feature as it is never found anywhere else in Laos. Moreover, That Pathoum is also known as That Makmo as the upper part is a semicircle cut like a watermelon, which is located in front of the sim. The stupa is placed on a square base and the four sides, and its top is shaped like Ketthoummala flower. This flower is called as a flame-shaped puppet like the top of Buddha statue of the early Lao Lane Xang. When That Pathoum was collapsed in 1914, Chao Kom Khun Duangchanh and the villagers found many valuable and precious objects such as Buddha statues made of wood, bronze, silver and gold, and strange gems buried from the 15^th to 16^th century. In 1932, Chao Kom Khun Duangchanh along with the public officials and villagers donated money to restore this stupa. Some valuable and precious objects found were taken back to the stupa and the rest were kept at the National Museum of Luang Prabang to this day.[3]

[1] The Chronicle of Laos, Maha Sila Viravong, 1966.

[2] The Legend of Khun Boulom Rasathirath, Department of Literature, 1967.

[3] The History of Lao Arts and Architectures, Volume I, 1991. Volume II, 1995 Bounheng Buasisengpasert.

• Open daily 08:00am – 17:00pm
• Tickets: 20.000k/person

Wat Visounarath is in Visoun village. If you start from the Luang Prabang Tourism Information Center, first you go straight up at the same way to Dara market, then you will see 4 junctions, and keep going toward untill you see a second 4 juntions, after that you should turn left and continue to walk a few minutes. You will see Lao Red Cross center at the left hand side which opposite the Temple or if you want to go by bicycle is fine.

• Cover yourself from shoulders to knees, take off hats and shoes.
• Respect the monks and novices. Women are not allowed to touch them.
• Do not show affection publicly.
• Refuse any antiques or you will be fined.
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