Laos; Vientiane - Haw Pha Kaeo

My second stop on my "temple tour" is to Haw Pha Kaeo just a short walk from Wat Si Saket. This was once a royal temple built specifically to house the sacred Emerald Buddha, one of the most revered images in all of Southeast Asia and the symbol of Thailand. The temple was originally built in  1565 by command of King Setthathirat and was his personal place of worship.

The Emerald Buddha remained in situ until 1779 when, following a skirmish with the Siamese, the image was taken and installed in Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok by King Rama I of Siam.  Haw Pha Kaeo stood until 1827 when Vientiane was completed destroyed by Siamese troops.

The Temple stood in ruins for many years until it was finally rebuilt between 1936 and 1942. The restoration being carried out, with French aid, by Prince Souvanna Phouma upon his return to Laos, following his engineering studies in France. According to contemporary studies, the reconstructed Temple followed the original 16th century plan exactly. However Haw Pha Kaeo,  seemingly, resembles more of a 19th century Bangkok-style Hall.

Whatever the case, the Temple is fine piece of architecture and serves today as a museum of Lao Buddhist art, surrounded by a lush landscape garden.........

 

The  Garden entrance to Haw Pha Kaeo

The second terrace of the Ordination Hall

 

Lotus lily carved corner stone

 

Buddha figures line the  colonnade that surrounds the Hall

 

One of the Buddha figures in the colonnade

Photography is prohibited inside the temple.....