Also referred to as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The temple was first built on the grounds of the royal palace in 1565, but was destroyed in the Siamese invasion of 1828 to 1829.
Prince Souvanna Phouma, an engineer and future prime minister of Laos, directed the reconstruction between 1936 and 1942. On it's veranda you will see some of the finest examples of Buddhist sculptures in Laos. The interior of the temple is now a museum that houses many Lao treasures such as a gilded throne, Khmer Buddhist stone tablets, wooden carvings, bronze frog drums and palm-leaf manuscripts. Within the premises lies a garden which boasts a wonderful vibrant aura of flowers with lush green lawns and alluring sculptures set amongst the shade of the trees.
