Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), also called the Golden City Temple, is a Buddhist temple located in the centre of Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos.
The temple was founded in the 1500s and has undergone restorations over the years, with one of the most recent in 2012/13.
There is an entrance fee to get in, and it is worth the cost as the temple is stunning, and you are allowed to photograph it (unlike the local museum). Hats and shoes must be removed when entering the buildings, and women cannot wear shorts.
I wandered around the complex, exploring.
Photo by Author — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
The temple is also the site of a daily 5 pm drum ceremony, but there was no drumming on the day I visited.
Photo by Author — the drum hall — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — the drum — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
But I did get to see the drum.
Also, tucked away in one corner was a quite magnificent long boat.
Photo by Author — long boat — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — long boat — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
There were three main temple buildings on site:
The Red Chapel
Congregation Hall (Sim)
Funeral Chapel (Chariot Hall)
The Red Chapel
The Red Chapel was small and perfectly formed!
Photo by Author — The Red Chapel — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
The glass and mirror murals on the side of The Red Chapel were terrific. Beautiful.
Photo by Author — glass and mirror mural on The Red Chapel — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — glass and mirror mural on The Red Chapel — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — The Red Chapel — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — inside the Red Chapel — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
Congregation Hall (Sim)
The main Congregation Hall, or Sim, was an impressive building. Beautiful.
The colours, the artwork, and the craftsmanship were astonishing.
Photo by Author — Congregation Hall (Sim) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — Congregation Hall (Sim) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — Tree of Life Mosaic — Congregation Hall (Sim) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — Buddha Shrine — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — Buddha — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
Funeral Chapel (Chariot Hall)
The third and final building I looked at on the site was the Funeral Chapel (Chariot Hall).
Photo by Author — Funeral Chapel (also called Chariot Hall) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
Yet again, the craftsmanship blew me away. The late afternoon sun showed the work at its best.
Photo by Author — Funeral Chapel (also called Chariot Hall) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
Look at the detail in the image below. Remarkable.
Photo by Author — Funeral Chapel (also called Chariot Hall) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — Naga on the ceremonial barge — Funeral Chapel (also called Chariot Hall) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — Funeral Chapel (also called Chariot Hall) — Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
The level of decoration in the Funeral Chapel was incredible.
Photo by Author — decoration in the Funeral Chapel (also called Chariot Hall)— Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), LaosPhoto by Author — decoration in the Funeral Chapel (also called Chariot Hall)— Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ), Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos
Summary
I loved the glass and mirror murals; the artwork and architecture were stunning.
If you are in Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), try to make some time to visit the Wat Xieng Thong (ວັດຊຽງທອງ) — you won’t be disappointed.
