Description of the attraction
The small and modest temple of Wat Si Muang is located near the eastern entrance to the city center, on the road leading from the Friendship Bridge linking Laos with Thailand. It was built in 1563 on the ruins of a Hindu shrine of the Khmer Empire. We can say that the area where the Wat Si Muang temple is built is considered the oldest in Vientiane.
Not far from the temple, archaeologists have discovered several dozen foundations of buildings laid in 1540, that is, 20 years before the official date of the city's foundation. Behind the temple you can see the remains of an ancient Khmer stupa. Here, as it is believed, was sacrificed, according to one version, or voluntarily committed suicide, according to another, the pregnant widow Xi Muang, after whom the temple got its name. Since then, the temple has been guarded by the spirit of Xi Muang, who helps all women who are expecting a baby and ladies who have been abandoned by their husbands. Those guests who do not fall into the categories of pregnant or abandoned can ask the spirit of luck. To do this, you need to make an offering to the temple. The easiest way to buy it is in the main yard. There are many vendors selling bananas, coconuts, flowers, incense and candles.
The interior of Xi Muang Temple is richly decorated with frescoes, wood carvings and religious statues. The predominant colors in the decor are red and gold.
The sanctuary differs in design from other Buddhist temples in Vientiane. It is split into two parts. In the first room, monks pray and bless the faithful. In the second room, located at the end of the temple, there is a city pillar that serves as an altar.
