1. Old Royal PalaceOn Sisavangong Road lies the double-cruciform-shaped Royal Palace, which dates back to 1904 and displays religious objects and gifts from foreign envoys. In 1975, when the monarchy was overthrown and the Royal Family were taken to re-education camps, the palace was given the more Maoist name of the National Museum.2. Wat MaiSet beside the Royal Palace, Wat Mai was built between 1718 and 1788. One of Laos’ most beautiful temples, it once housed one of Asia’s key statues: Luang Pabang’s namesake statue, the 50 kg golden Pha Bang Buddha, now stored in a bank vault. Much Buddhist blood has been spilled fighting over this 2,000-year-old religious relic from Ceylon – captured twice by the Thais, it was eventually returned to the city in 1867 by the devout Buddhist and pacifist Thai King Mongkut. One can only wonder what the Buddha, who forbade people to make images of Him, would have made of people fighting to the death over them. Bereft of its top treasure, Wat Mai retains a magical and almost surrealistically hallucinatory feel, its perfectly-proportioned architecture complemented by decorative detail so exquisite that it seems to come from an Oriental fairy tale. A plaque commemorates 14… Read full this story
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