Vientiane is a fairly old city, but it suffered greatly over the many centuries to invasion and sackings. This has left its mark on the city, and as result it actually has the appearance of a much younger city. Much of it was razed to the ground during various attacks by Siam in the 1820s, but among the buildings that survived was the Wat Si Saket or the Sisakhet, which today is a one of the world’s most endangered monuments. It is still standing, but it is in need of renovation. The temple, which today also serves as a small museum, was built by Chao Anou, who used the Bangkok style of temple architecture and this likely spared the building when the Siamese attacked the city.

The city is also home to the former royal temple, which is actually a 1942 reconstruction that is based on the descriptions of the 15th century building. The original structure was destroyed by Siam in 1828, but the reconstruction still serves to suggest the style of architecture that may have been used, even if the first temple only closely resembled the current version.

The Pha That Luang is one of the nation’s most sacred of religious structures. The building dates to the 16 th century, although it has suffered damage numerous times and been renovated over the centuries, and today it remains the Laos national symbol.