Visoun temple is rich in Lao architecture

Visoun temple is very charming and attractive because it is very beautiful and rich in Lao ancient art and architecture.
This one of oldest temples of Luang Prabang, is a beautiful, attractive visit place to visit for both local and foreign tourists.
The temple was originally built in 1512 and finished in 1913, during the reign of King Visounnarath, and represents the earliest style of Lao temple architecture, sometimes referred to as Luang Prabang Classic Style.

The Makmo or Pathoum stupa. (File photo)

The temple is located on Visounnarath Road in Visoun village, close to the city centre of Luang Prabang. It was also once the home to the revered Prabang Buddha image.
One villager said that the temple is very important especially the sim because it is the centre of culture, architecture, art, and solidarity among villagers.
“Visoun temple is an important place and attractive site to visit because it is one of the oldest temples of the province with an interesting history,” he said with a slight smile.
As with most temples around the country, inside the Visoun temple, there is an ordination building or sim, monk’s houses, stupas, a drum tower, donation hall, and other buildings.
The temple has a colourful history because its sim was originally crafted from wood before being burned down in 1887 when Luang Prabang was largely destroyed and looted by Black Haw riders. Much of the sim and the city were destroyed during that incident.
The Black Haw riders were part of the Black Flag military rebel group led by a Chinese commander at the end of the 1880s.
The Haw left with most of the priceless Buddha images made from jade, gold and precious gems by breaking open the Makmo stupa.
After the destroying of Haw, the temple was rebuilt by using stucco and brick and retains some original pieces including a stupa that was created in 1932 along with some other small Buddha images although many were stolen during the Haw raid.
In the past time, most of the partitions of the original building were carved wood, and the exterior, as portrayed in the engraving, made it one of the most beautiful in Luang Prabang. It also housed a major collection of rich religious objects and others objects.
Dating back to the past time during the reign of King Visounarath (Visoun), this temple was once home to the Prabang Buddha image.
The temple also acted as a Museum of Religious Arts and as such homes an array of religious property and precious items relating to both Buddhism and the royal family.
The Visounarath temple is now one of the most famous visiting sites of Luang Prabang and it is home to Buddha images, religious items and some ancient stones dating back to the 15th century.
One of the temple’s most unique features is its unusually shaped stupa originally called That Pathoum, designed by the wife of King Visounarath to be a lotus flower but referred to by locals as ‘the watermelon stupa’ or That Makmo because it looks like one part of watermelon.
The stupa is believed to be originally built in 1503 and it is a sacred site.
The stupa was largely destroyed during the Black Flag Army invasion in 1887 and all the ancient Buddha images and precious items it contained were stolen.
The most important place is the sim because it is an ordination hall and houses the main Buddha image.
As with the sims of most Lao temples, the sim of Visoun temple has multiple roof structures, and it has a double roof with the upper roof raised high above the lower roof.
The awesome sim is believed to be built at the same time as the temple. The original highly ornate wooden sim was a spectacular example of Lao craftsmanship at its finest and was one of the most imposing religious structures of old Luang Prabang.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update August 31, 2022)