A symbol of Laos’s nationhood and the country’s most sacred Buddhist monument, That Luang was built in the 16th century under the rule of King Setthathirat. A symbol of the main stupa appears on the country’s national seal.
After being destroyed by the Thai invasion in the 19th century, the monument was later restored to its original design, with inclusion of many references to Lao culture and identity, hence its status as a symbol of the nation.
Each level features different architectural designs with encoded Buddhist doctrine. The impressively gilded structure is situated about four kilometres northeast of Vientiane.