Description of the attraction
A luxurious example of architecture of the French colonial era is the Presidential Palace, located in the center of Vientiane. It was built after the French colonialists left the country. However, their long-term reign influenced the creative decisions made by local architects. The architect Khamfung Fonekeo, who worked on the project of the Presidential Palace, did not remain aloof from the fashion trends of that time. The construction of the presidential palace began in 1973, and then the construction was frozen for a long time: the country had no time to erect beautiful buildings due to the unstable internal political situation. The communist organization Pathet Lao was striving for power. It was completed only by 1986. The President of Laos lives in a mansion in the Vientiane suburb of Bad Fountain, and uses this palace for official meetings.
The image of the Presidential Palace can be seen on the reverse side of the 50 thousand kip note, the currency of Laos. It has been edited by the artist. So, on the banknote, the flag over the palace is raised much higher than it actually is.
Tourists are not allowed into the Presidential Palace. This building can only be viewed from the outside. Nevertheless, it has long become one of the business cards of Vientiane. Every tourist arriving in the Lao capital should definitely strive to photograph this mansion. The view of the Presidential Palace from Len Xang Street is not very good. The most luxurious pictures are taken from Quai-Fa-Ngum Street, opposite the Mekong River, from the side of Chao Anuwong Park. In the evening, the Presidential Palace is brightly lit.
