Buddha, Wat Phiavat—Khoun City, Xiengkhouang Province, Laos - Statues of Religious Figures on Waymarking.com

Wat Phiavat was once the premier Buddhist temple in the capital of the Xiengkhouang Province, the city of Khoun. All well and good, but during the Vietnam War the US airforce heavily bombed this area, devastating the city to the extent that it was abandoned and a new capital built (Phansavan City). By good fortune the Buddha of the wat survived largely intact, even though most of the temple was destroyed.

What is left are the inorganic parts of the wat. The foundation, pillars, which once held the roof, all leading to the Buddha. The Buddha is depicted sitting, approximately 3m tall, and rather well crafted. The statue looks enigmatic and compelling. Composed of a grey stone, which closely resembles the stone used for the jars in the nearby Plain of Jars megalithic site. I was told that the temple dates back seven centuries.

Even though the city was abandoned several decades ago, there have been a trickle of people returning, and there is now a sizeable settlement in the area. Thus there is a new temple building adjacent to the Buddha. Entry is free and unrestricted.


The Buddha is the founder and principal figure in the Buddhist faith. He lived during the sixth centre BCE, beginning life as an Indian prince, but then turned from a life or power and ease, to seek enlightenment. The Buddhist belief system centres around the teachings of the Buddha and the Buddhist community, and includes a belief in reincarnation. There are approximately 500 million Buddhists, and, while present in virtually every country, its practitioners are most likely to be found in India and east Asia.

Associated Religion(s): Buddhism Statue Location: Wat Entrance Fee: free Artist: Unknown Website: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the statue. A waymarker and/or GPSr is not required to be in the image but it doesn't hurt.

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