The Great Stupa in Laos

Courtesy Brad Velandar

Phra ThatLuang was first constructed in 236 BE. Phaya Chanthaburi Pasithisak, the first ruler of Vientiane was persuaded by the five Lao monks who had completed their studies in Rajgir, India - to build a sacred stupa for the holy relic of Lord Buddha, a Bosom bone they brought with. The stupa will be a place to enshrine the relic of those who wish to pray and worship. When finished, it was a small stupa, only 10 meters wide, 4 meters thick , 9 meters high and made of stones. When King Sethathiraj who formerly ruled LanNa Kingdom and then LanXang Kingdom, moved the capital from LuangPrabang to Vientiane in 1560. He then gave a new name to his city as "Nakhone Chanthaburi Sisattanakanahud Utama Rajathani" then in 1566, the second construction of Phra ThatLuang stupa started. After its completion, the stupa was named "Lokachulamani" meaning Great Stupa. Phra ThatLuang has been destroyed numerious times by various invaders. It is a holy shrine and spiritual worshipping place of the Lao people, it is also a symbol of the culture and art. It is a historical witness of the glorious 15th century period of the Kingdom of LanXang. During the full moon of November each year, Lao people all over the country and around the globe gather in this sacred place to celebrate the biggest national buddhist holiday.

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