Wat Xiang Thong

December 8, 2025

Before we leave Luang Prabang in the dust, which our departure surely will be in, I want to show you the most beautiful temple in Laos and possibly the most important.

Wat Xiang Thong, which was originally the name for Luang Prabang, was in 1559 ordered by the Lao king to be built at the tip of the peninsula. Wat Xieng Thong means Temple of the Golden City. Luang Prabang was the royal city all the way until 1975 when the current thug rulers disappeared all the royals and took over the country.

Wat Xiang Thong has many small buildings surrounding the main temple and are in remarkably good condition. Most have inlaid mirrors on the walls, inside and out, depicting life in Laos. One building is the royal funerary carriage house with a huge royal carriage to transport the container with the body of a deceased royal inside. So, the temple has a strong element of royalty. The former royal palace is just down the street from the temple.

The temple is a must see if you were to visit Luang Prabang.

lovebruce

Wat Xiang Thong. A classic Lanna temple. The roofline comes way down low to meet the people. A very beautiful temple.

Dharmachakras. Dharma wheels - the circular basis of reincarnation.

Wavy plaster that needs dusting. And I thought it was funny that there was a clock in the main temple.

The backside of Wat Xieng Thong with the tree of life mosaic. And an adjacent smaller temple.

The back of one of the back side doors of the temple. I love how a smaller hook is holding the large hook in place.

The door to the funerary carriage building.

The funerary carriage on huge wooden wheels to carry the body of a royal to the place of cremation.

The funerary carriage and containers for the body of a royal.

The funerary carriage building also serves as a kind of museum.

Inside walls of the funerary carriage building.

The funerary carriage with the funerary containers for royals' bodies. The body of a royal who has died is bound up in the fetal position and placed upright inside the container. It remains there until the most auspicious date to be cremated. That could be well over a year.

I have large wooden brackets on my house holding up the wide eaves but I'd rather have these.

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