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66-472: Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos . Comprising the five urban districts of Vientiane Prefecture , the city is located on the banks of the Mekong , right at the border with Thailand . Vientiane was the administrative capital during French rule and, due to economic growth in recent times, is now the economic center of Laos. The city had a population of 840,000 as of the 2023 Census . Vientiane
132-456: A baray (pond). Archaeologist Charles Higham stated, "...we remain largely unaware of the relationships between sites and the presence or otherwise of states on the Khorat plateau" during the 7th to 11th centuries. Muang Sema and Muang Fa Daet are notable though for their religious structures, including sema stones at Muang Fa Daet. There is a paucity of information from the centuries known as
198-661: A classical European understanding of the known world : Europe , North Africa , and Southwest Asia . The phrase is related to the enduring power of the city first as the capital of the Republic and the Empire , and later as the centre of the Catholic Church . In several English-speaking states , the terms county town and county seat are also used in lower administrative divisions . In some unitary states , subnational capitals may be known as 'administrative centres'. The capital
264-476: A country , state , province , department , or other subnational division , usually as its seat of the government . A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the government's offices and meeting places; the status as capital is often designated by its law or constitution . In some jurisdictions , including several countries, different branches of government are in different settlements, sometimes meaning multiple official capitals. In some cases,
330-497: A monarch held his or her court, the selection, relocation, founding, or capture of a modern capital city is a highly symbolic event. For example: The capital city is usually but not always a primary target in a war, as capturing it usually guarantees capture of much of the enemy government, victory for the attacking forces, or at the very least demoralization for the defeated forces. In ancient China , where governments were massive centralized bureaucracies with little flexibility on
396-488: A tropical savanna climate ( Köppen Aw ) with distinct wet and dry seasons . Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the onset of the wet season which in Vientiane lasts about seven months. Vientiane tends to be very hot and humid throughout the course of the year, though temperatures in the city tend to be somewhat cooler during the dry season than the wet season. The lowest recorded temperature
462-437: A 'walled city' whereas chan ( ຈັນ , previously ຈັນທນ໌ ) derives from Sanskrit candana ( चन्दन , /t͡ɕand̪ana/ ), 'sandalwood' and can be translated as the 'walled city of sandalwood'. Some Laotians mistakenly believe it refers to the 'walled city of the moon' as chan can also represent 'moon', although this was previously distinguished in writing as " ຈັນທຣ໌ ". Other romanisations include "Viangchan" and "Wiangchan". By
528-576: A bright red color, wound up on uplands in a great semicircle around the southern rim. These soils overlie associated gravel horizons cleared of sand by field termites , in a prolonged and still on-going process of bioturbation . Xanthic ferralsols of the Khorat and Ubon Series, characterized by a pale yellow to brown color, developed in midlands in processes still under investigation, as are those forming lowland soils resembling European brown soils . Many prehistoric Thailand sites are found on
594-445: A compromise between two or more cities or other political divisions, historical reasons, or enough land was needed to deliberately build a new planned city for the capital. The majority of national capitals are also the largest city in their respective countries. Modern examples are Beijing , Berlin , Cairo , London , Madrid , Mexico City , Moscow , Paris , Rome , Jakarta , Metro Manila , Seoul , and Tokyo . Counties in
660-405: A distinction is made between the official ( constitutional ) capital and the seat of government, which is in another place . English-language news media often use the name of the capital city as an alternative name for the government of the country of which it is the capital, as a form of metonymy . For example, the "relations between London and Washington " refers to the " relations between
726-470: A matter of convention, and because all or almost all the country's central political institutions, such as government departments, supreme court, legislature, embassies, etc., are located in or near them. Many modern capital cities are located near the centre of the country, so that they are more accessible to its population and have better protection from possible invasions. (See also § Capitals in military strategy ) The location may also be based on
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#1733094207214792-726: A mythical bird woman. Energetic visitors can climb to the top of the monument for a panoramic view of the city. Buddha Park was built in 1958 by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat and contains a collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures, scattered amongst gardens and trees. The park is 28 kilometres (17 mi) south of Vientiane at the edge of the Mekong River . Vientiane is home to one of the three bowling alleys in Laos (the other two are in Luang Prabang and Pakse ). Other sites include: The National University of Laos , one of three universities in
858-582: A series of droughts likely led to the collapse of the Khmer Empire, was only occupied by small groups of Austroasiatic peoples and scattered outposts of Lao mueang in the far north. In 1718, the first Lao muang in the Chi valley—and in fact anywhere in the interior of the Khorat Plateau—was founded at Suwannaphum District , in present-day Roi Et Province , by an official in the service of King Nokasad of
924-548: A territory: Plymouth in Montserrat . There are several countries where, for various reasons, the official capital and seat of government are separated: Some historical examples of similar arrangements, where the recognized capital was not the official seat of government: With the rise of the modern nation-state , the capital city has become a symbol for the state and its government , and imbued with political meaning. Unlike medieval capitals, which were declared wherever
990-409: Is a plateau in the northeastern Thai region of Isan . The plateau forms a natural region , named after the short form of Nakhon Ratchasima , a historical barrier controlling access to and from the area. The average elevation is 200 metres (660 ft) and it covers an area of about 155,000 square kilometres (60,000 sq mi). The saucer-shaped plateau is divided by a range of hills called
1056-533: Is connected with the University of Oxford . In 2011 the Alliance Clinic opened near the airport, with a connection to Thai hospitals. The Setthathirat International Clinic has foreign doctors. A free, 24/7 ambulance service is provided by Vientiane Rescue , a volunteer-run rescue service established in 2010. Capital city A capital city or just capital is the municipality holding primary status in
1122-500: Is often the largest city of its constituent, though not always . Historically, the major economic centre of a state or region has often become the focal point of political power, and became a capital through conquest or federation . Historical examples are ancient Babylon , ancient Athens , ancient Rome , Abbasid Baghdad , Constantinople , Chang'an , and ancient Cusco . The modern capital city has not always existed: in medieval Western Europe, an itinerant (wandering) government
1188-582: Is the case with Nanjing by Shanghai , Quebec City by Montreal , and several US state capitals . The decline of a dynasty or culture could also mean the extinction of its capital city, as occurred at Babylon and Cahokia . "Political nomadism" was practiced in ancient Near East to increase ties between the ruler and the subjects. Although many capitals are defined by constitution or legislation, many long-time capitals have no such legal designation, including Bern , Edinburgh , Lisbon , London , Paris , and Wellington . They are recognized as capitals as
1254-708: Is the home of the most significant national monuments such as Pha That Luang , a national symbol of Laos and an icon of Buddhism in Laos . Other significant Buddhist temples can be found there as well, such as Haw Phra Kaew , which formerly housed the Emerald Buddha . "Vientiane" is the French spelling derived from the Lao Viangchan /wíaŋ tɕàn/ . The name was previously written " ວຽງຈັນທນ໌ " (in Thai, เวียงจันทน์) but now usually written " ວຽງຈັນ ". In Lao, viang ( ວຽງ ) refers to
1320-529: Is usually not a separate national capital, but rather the capital city of one constituent nation will also be the capital of the state overall, such as London , which is the capital of England and of the United Kingdom. Similarly, each of the autonomous communities of Spain and regions of Italy has a capital city, such as Seville and Naples , while Madrid is the capital of the Community of Madrid and of
1386-510: The Byzantine capital, Constantinople , Byzantine forces were able to regroup in several provinces; provincial noblemen managed to reconquer the capital after 60 years and preserve the empire for another 200 years after that. The British forces sacked various American capitals repeatedly during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 , but American forces could still carry on fighting from
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#17330942072141452-716: The China–Laos railway or Laos–China railway ) is a 414 kilometres (257 mi) 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge electrified railway in Laos , running between the capital Vientiane and the town of Boten on the border with China . The line was officially opened on 3 December 2021. Vientiane is served by Wattay International Airport with international connections to other Asian destinations such as Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia , Thailand , South Korea , Japan and China . Lao Airlines has regular flights to several domestic destinations in
1518-668: The Kingdom of Spain as a whole and Rome is the capital of Italy and of the region of Lazio . In the Federal Republic of Germany , each of its constituent states (or Länder , plural of Land ) has its own capital city, such as Dresden , Wiesbaden , Mainz , Düsseldorf , Stuttgart , and Munich , as do all of the republics of the Russian Federation . The national capitals of Germany and Russia (the Stadtstaat of Berlin and
1584-742: The Phetchabun Mountains in the west down toward the Mekong River . The plateau is drained by the Mun and Chi Rivers , tributaries to the Mekong that forms the northeastern boundary of the area. It is separated from central Thailand by the Phetchabun Mountains and the Dong Phaya Yen Mountains in the west, the Sankamphaeng Range in the southwest and by the Dângrêk Mountains in the south, all of which historically made access to
1650-530: The Phu Phan Mountains into two basins: the northern Sakhon Nakhon Basin, and the southern Khorat Basin. The plateau tilts from its northwestern corner where it is about 213 metres (699 ft) above sea level to the southeast where the elevation is only about 62 metres (203 ft). Except for a few hills in the northeastern corner, the region is primarily gently undulating land, most of it varying in elevation from 90–180 metres (300–590 ft), tilting from
1716-517: The Post-Angkor Period , but the plateau seems to have been largely depopulated following this period and a long series of droughts during 13th—15th centuries. The Lao settlements were found only along the banks of the Mekong River and in the wetter northern areas such as Nong Bua Lamphu , Loei , Nong Khai , with most of the population inhabiting the wetter left banks. This began to change when
1782-574: The Royal Lao Government and the Pathet Lao , Vientiane became unstable. In August 1960, Kong Le seized the capital and insisted that Souvanna Phouma become prime minister. In mid-December, Phoumi Nosavan then seized the capital, overthrew the Phouma Government, and installed Boun Oum as prime minister. In mid-1975, Pathet Lao troops moved towards the city and Americans began evacuating
1848-524: The United Kingdom have historic county towns, which are often not the largest settlement within the county and often are no longer administrative centres, as many historical counties are now only ceremonial, and administrative boundaries are different. The number of new capitals in the world increased substantially since the Renaissance period, especially with the founding of independent nation-states since
1914-513: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Naypyidaw was founded in Burma 's interior as the former capital, Rangoon , was claimed to be overcrowded. A few nation-states have multiple capitals, and there are also several states that have no capital. Some have a city as the capital but with most government agencies elsewhere. There is also a ghost town which is currently the de jure capital of
1980-488: The federal city of Moscow ) are also constituent states of both countries in their own right. Each of the states of Austria and cantons of Switzerland also have their own capital cities. Vienna , the national capital of Austria , is also one of the states, while Bern is the ( de facto ) capital of both Switzerland and of the Canton of Bern . Governing entities sometimes plan, design and build new capital cities to house
2046-653: The 6th century in the Chao Phraya River Valley, Mon peoples had coalesced to create the Dvaravati kingdoms . In the north, Haripunjaya ( Lamphun ) emerged as a rival power to the Dvaravati . By the 8th century the Mon had pushed north to create city states, in Fa Daet (modern Kalasin , northeastern Thailand), Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) near modern Tha Khek , Laos, Muang Sua ( Luang Prabang ), and Chantaburi (Vientiane). In
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2112-468: The 8th century CE, Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) was the strongest of these early city states, and controlled trade throughout the middle Mekong region. The city states were loosely bound politically, but were culturally similar and introduced Therevada Buddhism from Sri Lankan missionaries throughout the region. The great Laotian epic, the Phra Lak Phra Lam , claims that Prince Thattaradtha founded
2178-585: The Duke; the Duke led an army chased the invaders as far as Vũ Ôn? (unattested), and then returned with captives. This name may have traced it origin to Wèndān , a supposedly kingdom located in the Khorat Plateau , mentioned by a ninth-century Chinese writer described a trade route which started at Hanoi and crossed the western mountains to Wèndān. In 1354, when Fa Ngum founded the kingdom of Lan Xang , Vientiane became an important administrative city, even though it
2244-522: The Lao might well have lost control over their own country. During World War II , Vientiane fell with little resistance and was occupied by Japanese forces, under the command of Sako Masanori . On 9 March 1945, French paratroopers arrived and reoccupied the city on 24 April 1945. The city became the national capital of the newly independent Lao state in 1953. As the Laotian Civil War broke out between
2310-527: The United Kingdom and the United States ". The word capital derives from the Latin word caput (genitive capitis ), meaning ' head ', later borrowed from Medieval Latin capitālis ('of the head'). The Latin phrase Roma Caput Mundi meaning 'Rome capital of the world' ( lit. ' head of the world ' ) was already used by the poet Ovid in 1st century BC . It originates out of
2376-790: The Vietnamese were encouraged to migrate to Laos, which resulted in 53% of the population of Vientiane being Vietnamese in the year 1943. As late as 1945, the French drew up an ambitious plan to move massive Vietnamese population to three key areas (i.e. the Vientiane Plain, the Savannakhet region , and the Bolaven Plateau ), which was only interrupted by the Japanese invasion of Indochina. If this plan had been implemented, according to Martin Stuart-Fox ,
2442-670: The area less optimal for rice . The portion known as Tung Kula Rong Hai was once exceptionally arid . The plateau uplifted from an extensive plain composed of remnants of the Cimmerian microcontinent , and terranes such as the Shan–Thai Terrane , either late in the Pleistocene or early in the Holocene Epoch , approximately Year 1 of the Holocene calendar . Much of the surface of
2508-696: The capital has been changed for geopolitical reasons; Finland 's first city, Turku , which had served as the country's capital since the Middle Ages under the Swedish rule, lost its position during the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812, when Helsinki was made the current capital of Finland by the Russian Empire. The convergence of political and economic or cultural power is by no means universal. Traditional capitals may be economically eclipsed by provincial rivals as
2574-553: The capital. On 23 August 1975, a contingent of 50 Pathet Lao women symbolically liberated the city. On 2 December 1975, the communist party of the Pathet Lao took over Vientiane, defeated the Kingdom of Laos , and renamed the country the Lao People's Democratic Republic, which ended the Laotian Civil War . The next day, an Insurgency in Laos began in the jungle, with the Pathet Lao fighting factions of Hmong and royalists. Vientiane
2640-399: The city when he left the legendary Lao kingdom of Muong Inthapatha Maha Nakhone because he was denied the throne in favor of his younger brother. Thattaradtha founded a city called Maha Thani Si Phan Phao on the western banks of the Mekong River ; this city was said to have later become today's Udon Thani , Thailand . One day, a seven-headed Naga told Thattaradtha to start a new city on
2706-426: The country (including several flights daily to Luang Prabang , plus a few flights weekly to other local destinations). In Thailand, Udon Thani International Airport , one of Wattay's main connections, is less than 90 km distant. The "Centre Medical de l'Ambassade de France" is available to the foreign community in Laos. The Mahosot Hospital is an important local hospital in treating and researching diseases and
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2772-399: The country, is in Vientiane. International schools include: Vientiane is the driving force behind economic change in Laos. In recent years, the city has experienced rapid economic growth from foreign investment. In 2011, the stock exchange opened with two listed company stocks, with the cooperation of South Korea . There are regular bus services connecting Vientiane Bus Station with
2838-521: The countryside, where they enjoyed support from local governments and the traditionally independent civilian frontiersmen. Exceptions to these generalizations include highly centralized states such as France , whose centralized bureaucracies could effectively coordinate far-flung resources, giving the state a powerful advantage over less coherent rivals, but risking utter ruin if the capital were taken. Khorat Plateau The Khorat Plateau ( Thai : ที่ราบสูงโคราช ; Northeastern Thai : ที่ฮาบสูงโคราช )
2904-742: The early-19th century. None Nok Tha in the Phu Wiang District of Khon Kaen yielded evidence of an Iron Age settlement dating from about 1420 to 50 BCE. The region was once under the suzerainty of the Dvaravati Kingdom, and later under the Khmer Empire . It is dotted with the ruins of Khmer rest houses positioned about 25 kilometres (16 mi) apart, a comfortable day's walk , along the Khmer highways . These were not just places of repose, but also were hospices and libraries , and typically included
2970-592: The east bank of the river opposite Maha Thani Si Phan Phao . The prince called this city Chanthabuly Si Sattanakhanahud ; which was said to be the predecessor of modern Vientiane. Contrary to the Phra Lak Phra Lam , most historians believe Vientiane was an early Mon settlement, which later came under the domination of the Khmer Empire . In the 11th and 12th centuries, the time when the Lao and Thai people are believed to have entered Southeast Asia from Southern China ,
3036-484: The eighteenth century. In Canada , there is a federal capital , while the ten provinces and three territories each have capital cities. The states of such countries as Mexico , Brazil (including the famous cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo , capitals of their respective states), and Australia also each have capital cities. For example, the six state capitals of Australia are Adelaide , Brisbane , Hobart , Melbourne , Perth , and Sydney . In Australia,
3102-461: The few remaining Mon and Khmer in the area moved or assimilated into the Lao civilization, which would soon overtake the area. The earliest reference of the name Vientiane can be seen on a Vietnamese inscription of Duke Đỗ Anh Vũ , dated 1159 during the Khmer-Viet conflict. The inscription says that in 1135, Văn Đan (Vientiane), a vassal of Zhenla ( Khmer Empire ), invaded Nghe An, but was repelled by
3168-501: The golden age of Lao prosperity and cultural achievements under King Surignavôngsa ( สุริยวงศา Suriyawongsa , ສຸຣິຍະວົງສາ /sú lī ɲā ʋóŋ sǎː/ ) (1637-1694) ended with a successional dispute, with his grandsons, with Siamese intervention, carving out their separate kingdoms in 1707. From its ashes arose the kingdoms of Louang Phrabang , Vientiane and later in 1713, the Champasak . The arid hinterlands, deforested and depopulated after
3234-534: The great crisis of Japanese invasion . National capitals were arguably less important as military objectives in other parts of the world, including the West, because of socioeconomic trends toward localized authority, a strategic modus operandi especially popular after the development of feudalism and reaffirmed by the development of democratic and capitalistic philosophies. In 1204, after the Latin Crusaders captured
3300-544: The plateau difficult. These mountains together with the Truong Son Range in the northeast catch a lot of the rainfall, so the southwest monsoon has much lower intensity than in other regions—the mean annual rainfall in Nakhon Ratchasima is about 1,150 millimetres (45 in), compared with 1,500 millimetres (59 in) in central Thailand. The difference between the dry and wet seasons is much greater, which makes
3366-444: The plateau was once classified as laterite , and layers that can easily be cut into brick-shaped blocks are still so called, but the classification of soils as various types of oxisols is more useful for agriculture . Oxisols of the type called rhodic ferralsols, or Yasothon soils, formed under humid tropical conditions in the early Tertiary . When portions of the plain uplifted as a plateau, these relict soils, characterized by
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#17330942072143432-599: The plateau, with some bronze relics of the Dong Son culture having been discovered. The World Heritage Ban Chiang archaeological site, discovered in 1966, yielded evidence of bronze making beginning c. 2000 BCE, but lacking evidence of weaponry so often associated with the Bronze Age in Europe and the rest of the world. The site appears to have once been part of a broader culture, until abandoned c. 200 CE, not to be resettled until
3498-459: The provincial level, a dynasty could easily be toppled with the fall of its capital. In the Three Kingdoms period, both Shu and Wu fell when their respective capitals of Chengdu and Jianye fell. The Ming dynasty relocated its capital from Nanjing to Beijing , where they could more effectively control the generals and troops guarding the borders from Mongols and Manchus . The Ming
3564-533: The rest of the country. In Vientiane, regular bus services around the city are provided by Vientiane Capital State Bus Enterprise. These buses were set up and run with the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Daily non-stop bus services run between Vientiane and Nong Khai, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen in Thailand. The First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge , built in the 1990s, crosses
3630-724: The river 18 kilometres downstream of the city of Nong Khai in Thailand, and is the major crossing between the two countries. The official name of the bridge was changed in 2007 by the addition of "First", after the Second Friendship Bridge linking Mukdahan in Thailand with Savannakhet in Laos was opened early in 2007. A metre gauge railway link over the first bridge was formally inaugurated on 5 March 2009, previously ending at Thanaleng Railway Station , in Dongphosy village ( Vientiane Prefecture ), 20 km east of Vientiane. As of November 2010, Lao officials plan to convert
3696-424: The seat of government of a polity or of a subdivision. Deliberately planned and designed capitals include: These cities satisfy one or both of the following criteria: Some examples of the second situation (compromise locations) are: Changes in a nation's political regime sometimes result in the designation of a new capital. Akmola (renamed Astana in 1998) became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, following
3762-823: The station into a cargo rail terminal for freight trains , allowing cargo to be transported from Bangkok into Laos more cheaply than via road. The rail link has since been extended 7.5km further into the city, to terminate at Vientiane (Khamsavath) railway station , a bigger and newer station closer to the city, with connections to the Central Bus Terminal and the Laos China Railway Station. The first passenger train arrived from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok on 20 July 2024. The new station has immigration facilities, offices, shops and more platforms. The Boten–Vientiane railway (sometimes referred to as
3828-655: The term "capital cities" is regularly used to refer to those six state capitals plus the federal capital Canberra , and Darwin , the capital of the Northern Territory . Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and also of the United Arab Emirates overall. In unitary states which consist of multiple constituent nations, such as the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Denmark , each will usually have its own capital city. Unlike in federations , there
3894-401: Was 2.4 °C or 36.3 °F in January 1924, and the highest was 42.6 °C or 108.7 °F in April 2024. The capital attracts many tourists to its many temples and Buddhist monuments. A popular attraction for foreign visitors is Pha That Luang , an important national cultural monument of Laos and one of its best known stupas . It was originally built in 1566 by King Setthathirath and
3960-490: Was burned to the ground and was looted of nearly all Laotian artifacts, including Buddha statues and people. Vientiane was in great disrepair, depopulated and disappearing into the forest when the French arrived. It eventually passed to French rule in 1893. It became the capital of the French protectorate of Laos in 1899. During the French colonial period, the city was rebuilt and various Buddhist temples such as Pha That Luang , Haw Phra Kaew were repaired. During French rule,
4026-598: Was common. The capital city attracts politically motivated people and those whose skills are needed for efficient administration of national or imperial governments, such as lawyers , political scientists , bankers , journalists , and public policy makers . Some of these cities are or were also religious centres , e.g. Constantinople (more than one religion), Rome / Vatican City (the Roman Catholic Church ), Jerusalem (more than one religion), Babylon, Moscow (the Russian Orthodox Church ), Belgrade (the Serbian Orthodox Church ), Paris, and Beijing. In some countries,
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#17330942072144092-456: Was destroyed when Li Zicheng took their seat of power, and this pattern repeats itself in Chinese history, until the fall of the traditional Confucian monarchy in the 20th century. After the Qing dynasty 's collapse, decentralization of authority and improved transportation and communication technologies allowed both the Chinese Nationalists and Chinese Communists to rapidly relocate capitals and keep their leadership structures intact during
4158-426: Was not made the capital. King Setthathirath officially established it as the capital of Lan Xang in 1563, to avoid Burmese invasion. When Lan Xang fell apart in 1707, it became an independent Kingdom of Vientiane . In 1779, it was conquered by the Siamese general Phraya Chakri and made a vassal of Siam . When King Anouvong raised an unsuccessful rebellion, it was obliterated by Siamese armies in 1827. The city
4224-421: Was pregnant at the time, leapt to her death as a sacrifice, just as the pillar was being lowered into the hole. In front of the temple stands a statue of King Sisavang Vong . The memorial monument, Patuxai , built between 1957 and 1968, is perhaps the most prominent landmark in the city. While the Arc de Triomphe in Paris inspired the architecture, the design incorporates typical Lao motifs including Kinnari,
4290-434: Was restored in 1953. The golden stupa is 45 metres (148 ft) tall and is believed to contain a relic of the Buddha. Another site that is also popular amongst tourists is Wat Si Muang . The temple was built on the ruins of a Khmer Hindu shrine, the remains of which can be seen behind the ordination hall. It was built in 1563 and is believed to be guarded by the spirit of a local girl, Nang Si. Legend tells that Nang Si, who
4356-419: Was the host of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games . Eighteen competitions were dropped from the previous games held in Thailand, due to Laos' landlocked borders and the lack of adequate facilities in Vientiane. Vientiane is on a bend of the Mekong River, at which point it forms the border with Thailand . The city government administers the five urban districts of the Vientiane Prefecture . Vientiane features
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