With 3 Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List UNESCO, Laos primarily manages monumental archaeological sites, historic architecture, and more recent sites and objects related to the communist regime. Luang Prabang was listed in 1995, Vat Phou in 2001, and the Plain of Jars in 2019. French colonial architecture, hill tribe settlements, and Buddhist monasteries all overlay one another to form the rich architectural typology of Laos.
Luang Prabang
A royal Buddhist city that featured the rule of 63 kings and currently has over 30 palaces and 40 ancient temples, Luang Prabang is nestled between the Mekong River and Nam Khan, surrounded by rolling mountains of clouds all year round. From the 14th to the 16th century, the town became the capital of the powerful kingdom of Lane Xang (Kingdom of a Million Elephants). Luang Prabang takes its name from a statue of Buddha, the Prabang, offered by Cambodia.
The peninsula is the religious and political centre of the town; similarly, all villages have a temple centre, an urban language preserved by future preservation efforts. The later French colonial architecture overlaps with the rich traditional architecture. Wooden structures, stone temples, and richly ornate pagodas or “Vat” in Luang Prabang are the general vernacular for the town. A 16th-century Buddhist temple Wat Xieng Thong covers the region’s architectural typology with its elaborate mosaic patterns, wall carvings, and a two-tiered ornate roof.
While on one end, the town features traditional homes with plaited bamboo panels coated with wattle and daub, on the other end is the brick architecture of the colonial era with wooden detailing and balconies lining the Mekong.
Nature is front and centre in the town’s urban morphology, with the sacred Mount Phousi at its centre in the peninsula. The peninsula delimited by the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers is associated with the mythical naga and is the backdrop for elaborate Buddhist ceremonies. The Kuang Si Falls, Tat Sae Waterfalls, and Pak Ou Caves are among the natural tourism sites. Several natural features scattered along the town, like the wetlands and riverbanks, reiterate the sanctity of the place.
Historical Management
A high degree of authenticity is maintained in the old town as heritage preservation is deeply grained in the culture of the place, with novice Buddhist monks being trained in restoration techniques. Alongside the strong ritualistic practices that have survived to this day, there is a harmonious overlap of French colonial architecture and traditional Buddhist Architecture.
Vat Phou
Vat Phou Temple complex is a 1000-year-old planned landscape; that features two palaces on either side of the axis facing east, known as north and south palaces. The buildings feature laterite and sandstone walls, courtyards, pediments, and lintels in the early Angor Wat style. Laid out along the east-west axis the whole site is spread over 10km. The main sanctuary is located at the foot of a cliff where the sacred spring flows. The overarching philosophy behind the design is the harmony between nature and man that uses the preexisting natural axis of the mountain and river present on site. Vat Phou is associated with the Khmer Empire and features two planned cities along the Mekong River as well. It receives a daily fleet of religious and tourism-related visits and a new museum has been added to the site, in total the landscape has undergone 7 major conservation efforts.
Plain of Jars
Located on a plateau in Central Laso, this Iron Age Era site houses some 2,100 tubular stone jars used in historic funeral practices and is protected under the Law on National Heritage 2013, supported by the Decree of the President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The serial property of 15 components contains secondary burial tombstones, stone disks, and jars dating from 500 BCE to 500 CE. The site features a high level of authenticity as most objects appear to be in their original location and with little disturbance despite past instances of damage from cattle grazing to past bombings.
Built Heritage of Laos
The small country of Laos had historically not undergone the kind of archaeological surveys that its unique heritage could lay claim to, with artefacts ranging from the Iron Age to Buddhist temples and French colonial architecture. The Rugged mountainous terrain and forests are interspersed with hidden gems. Different styles of architecture co-exist; the Vientiane-style temple featuring rectangular halls and high peaked roofs, the non-tiered roofing of Xieng Khouang style Vats, and the temples of Luang Prabang with low sweeping roofs. Laotian Sanctuaries or vihans are built in the particular style of the towns on multilevel platforms made of brick covered by stucco. Buddhist religious references from mosaics chronicling Buddha’s journey to the odd-numbered peaked roofs representing the three characteristics of existence. Presently due to the renewed efforts of the government and the people of Laos, some 30-plus Vats have been restored and rebuilt from the original stock of 65 temples that were present in the 18th century.
Citations
Hays, J. (no date) Lao architecture, Facts and Details. Available at: https://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Laos/sub5_3c/entry-2967.html (Accessed: January 1, 2023).
Vongvilay, X., Shinn, J.-E. and Kang, Y.-H. (no date) The influence of French colonial rule on Lao architecture with a focus on residential buildings, Taylor & Francis. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3130/jaabe.14.279 (Accessed: January 1, 2023).
Lands, R. (2018) Glittering gold and ancient stones – architecture in Laos, Travelogues from Remote Lands. Available at: https://www.remotelands.com/travelogues/architecture-and-heritage-in-laos/ (Accessed: January 1, 2023).
Centre, U.N.E.S.C.O.W.H. (no date) Town of Luang Prabang, UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/479/ (Accessed: January 1, 2023).
