Wat Sisaket

LAOS, Vientiane

Also known as Wat Sisaketsata Sahatsaham, it is the oldest surviving temple in Vientiane. The temple is located near the Presidential Palace. In 1818, the last monarch of the Lao Kingdom of Vientiane, King Anouvong (reigned 1805–1828), constructed the temple in Thai style. In 1828 the Thai army invaded the city and destroyed almost all the temples. Despite severe damage, the temple was not completely damaged. Renovation work started in 1924 and was completed in 1935.
The temple complex consists of the ordination hall, stupa, lecture hall, and sutra repository. The ordination hall has a hip-and-gable roof with overlapping sections and multiple eaves. The ridges are decorated with garudas and nagas. Square columns with indented corners support the overhanging roof, forming a veranda around the building. A gallery surrounding the hall houses a rich collection of 6,840 Buddha statues from the 16th to 19th century, and hundreds of niches. The temple contains many large Thai-style murals, painted mostly in black and red. They depict scenes from the Jataka and local Lao tales.