Wat Phia Wat (Muang Khoun)

Laos / Xiang Khuang / Pek / Muang Khoun
 statue, buddhist temple
According to the chronicles Wat Phia Wat is said to have been constructed in 1322 by Chao Larn Kham Khong to house the first Buddhist statue transported from Burma to Xieng Khouang. The wat was destroyed and the left arm of the statue cut off in 1375 by invading Chinese, but rebuilding took place soon afterwards. Razed to the ground in 1953 during the war with France and restored in 1954, it was finally destroyed during the US bombing of Xieng Khouang Province during the late 1960s. The Buddha statue itself, which survived the destruction, is highly revered.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   19°19'41"N   103°22'12"E
This article was last modified 5 years ago