That Makmo stupa at Wat Wisunalat in Luang Prabang
That Makmo stupa

Wat Wisunalat

Unique 16th century Singhalese style stupa

Name
Wat Wisunalat
Date
1512
Location
Thanon Wisunalat
Luang Prabang

The Wat Wisunalat is Luang Prabang’s oldest temple. The temple, also known as Wat Visoun and Wat Visounnarat was founded in 1512. The temple houses an important collection of ancient Buddha images. On the grounds are a sim of fairly plain architecture and the That Pathum, a large Singhalese style stupa.

The temple burned down in 1887 when Luang Prabang was largely destroyed and looted by the Black Flag Army, a militia group from China. It was rebuilt in 1898.

An engraving made by Louis Delaporte, a French explorer who traveled extensively in Cambodia and Laos in the 1860’s and 1870’s shows a much more elegant and ornate sim structure built early 16th century. The print shows a large temple, its roof supported by massive 30 meter high wooden pillars.

The Phra Bang Buddha

Laos’ most venerated Buddha image, the Phra Bang Buddha, was enshrined in the Wat Wisunalat twice, from 1513 until 1707 and from 1867 until 1887.

The sim

The Wat Wisunalat’s sim is a brick structure of fairly plain architecture with a two tiered roof. The roof’s ends are adorned with Naga finials. At the center of the roof is a “Dok so faa”, an ornamental element consisting of 17 miniature stupas covered by parasols.

The wooden doors of the sim originate from the original early 16th century structure. The delicate gilded carvings on the doors depict the Hindu Gods Vishnu, Brahma, Indra and Shiva on his mount, the bull Nandi.

The portico of the front entrance is covered by a separate roof supported by large white pillars. The wooden balustrades in the windows are similar to those in stone at several of the Khmer temples of Angkor.

Largest Buddha image of Luang Prabang

The sim houses the largest Buddha image of Luang Prabang. Around the gilded image is a large number of small images in several mudras. The bronze and wooden images, many of which are gilded are up to 400 years old.

The sim
The sim of the Wat Wisunalat

That Pathum

The That Pathum, or Stupa of the Great Lotus was built in the early 16th century. The 35 meter high stupa is in Singhalese style, the only one of its kind in Laos. The stupa is also known as That Makmo, which translates to “watermelon stupa”, because of the dome at the top that resembles a watermelon. The stupa sits on top of a square platform. On each of its four corners is a lotus pedestal.

The That Pathum stupa was largely destroyed during the Black Flag Army invasion of 1887. At that time it contained a large number of ancient Buddha images. Many were stolen or destroyed by the Chinese invaders. Some of the remaining images are now kept in the Royal Palace Museum, others are housed in the temple’s sim.

When the stupa was hit by lightning and collapsed in 1914, a number of gold, bronze, crystal and wooden Buddha images from the 15th and 16th centuries were discovered, which are now on display in the National Museum. The stupa was rebuilt in 1932.

Active temple with resident monks

The Wat Wisunalat is an active temple. The resident monks live in the kuti, the monks private quarters. As is the case with many Buddhist temples, the grounds contain a large Bodhi tree, a tree much venerated because it was a Bodhi tree under which the Buddha meditated and reached enlightenment.

Location

The temple is located next to the Wat Aham on Thanon Wisunalat, South of Mount Phousi and Kingkitsarath road in Luang Prabang.

How to get to the Wat Wisunalat

Much of the town can be reached on foot. A tuk tuk or jumbo to the temple will cost between 10,000 (about US$ 1.30) and 15,000 Kip (about US$ 2) depending on the distance.

Opening hours

The temple opens daily between 8 am and 5 pm.

Entrance fee

Admission is 5,000 Kip (about US$ 0.65) per person.


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