Description of the attraction
About halfway between the Patusai Triumphal Arch and the Mekong River, near the Talat Sao morning market, at the Khantha Kumane and Bartoloni roundabout, there is the old That Dam stupa covered with moss and thin blades of grass, which is also called Black because of the characteristic color of its bricks. So they became over time from exposure to the sun and rain. Previously, the stupa was decorated according to all local rules, that is, generously covered with gold.
The exact date of its construction is unknown. It is believed to have originated in Vientiane in the 15th century. It was erected to store either the relics of the Buddha, or the ashes of some king or monk.
According to local legend, the seven-headed serpent Naga, a Buddhist mythological creature resembling a dragon, settled here. When the Siamese attacked Laos, and this happened in 1827, the snake, as the locals sincerely believe, defended the city along with the bravest soldiers. But all efforts were in vain. The angry Siamese plundered the Black Stupa, removing all the decorations from it. Over time, part of it collapsed. The serpent Naga hid underground and did not appear again.
Nobody began to restore the stupa That Dam. Believers do not come here with offerings. Vientiane residents perceive it as part of the landscape - like a tree or a flower bed. It has long ceased to be a sacred building. Only tourists, seeing a huge gloomy building, begin to vigorously click cameras, trying to capture a fragment of the former greatness of Laos. It can be reached on foot, as well as to all the sights of Vientiane, located in the historic center, or by bike.
