Description of the attraction
Wat Mahathat, also called the Temple of the Great Stupa, is one of the most ornate temples in Luang Prabang. It is located near the Mekong River on the southwestern slope of Mount Fousi. The temple was built in 1548 during the reign of King Sethathiratha. During a storm that hit the city in 1900, the sanctuary (sim) and the adjacent temple buildings were damaged. The sacred complex was restored in the first decade of the 20th century.
During the Lao New Year celebrations, monks from some of the city's temples walk in a festive procession to Wat Mahathat, where they perform dances for the guardian spirits of Luang Prabang.
You can climb to the territory of the temple by the stairs, on which there are 7 statues of mythological snake nagas. The current building of the temple dates back to 1910. The temple has a large two-tiered roof that drops almost to the ground. In the center of the roof you can see the dock from faa, a decoration typical of many Lao temples. The temple is surrounded by a veranda. The front facade of the sim is especially richly decorated. The gold-plated pediment depicts a Dhamma wheel surmounted by a seven-tiered umbrella. The porch roof is supported by six columns decorated in black and gold. The walls of the temple are decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the local version of the Ramayana.
Behind the sim is a large black stupa set on a square base. It was built in the middle of the 16th century. In the niches at the top of the stupa, there are gilded statues of Buddhas.
Around the temple there are several small stupas that house the ashes of the Lao princes.
