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There exists across the country
a plethora of distinctive
monuments and architectural style. One of the most notable structures
is That
Luang, the great sacred Stupa, in Vientiane.
It’s dome like stupa and four-cornered superstructure is the model for
similar
monuments across Laos.
Stupas serve to commemorate the life of the Buddha and many stupas are
said to
house sacred Buddha relies (part of Buddha’s body) |
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Generally, Hiragana Buddhists
cremate the dead body then
place the bones in the stupa, which are set around the grounds of
temples.
Different styles of architecture are evident in the numerous Buddhism
Wats.
Three architectural styles can be distinguished, corresponding to the
geographical location of the temples and monasteries . Wats built in Vientiane are
large
rectangular structures constructed of bricked and covered with stucco
and
high-peaked roofs. In Luang Prabang, the roofs sweep very low and
unlike in Vientiane,
almost reach
the ground. These two styles are different from the Vats of
Xiengkhouang where
the temple roofs are not tiered. |
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Lao religious images and art is
also distinctive and set Laos apart from
its neighbors. “The calling for rain” posture of Buddha images in Lao,
for
example, which depicts the Buddha standing with this hands held rigidly
at this
side, fingers pointing to the ground, can not be found in other South
East
Asian Buddhist art traditions. |
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Religious influences are also
pervasive in classical Lao
literature, especially in the Pha Lak & Pha Lam and the Lao version
of India’s
epic
Ramayana. |
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Projects are underway to
preserve classic Lao religious
scripts, which were transcripts onto palm leaf manuscripts hundreds of
years
ago and stored in Wats. |
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Another excellent example of the
richness of Lao culture is in its folk music, which is extremely
popular with
the people throughout the whole country. The principle instrument is
the Khean;
a wind instrument, which comprises a double row of bamboo-like reeds,
fitted in
a hardwood sound box. The Khean is often accompanied by a bowed string
instrument or saw. The national folk dance is the lamvong, a circle
dance in
which people dance in which people dance circles around each other so
that
ultimately there are three circles: a circle danced by individual,
another one
by the couple, and a third one danced by the whole party. |
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Art and Culture in Vientiane
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Capital Vientiane
is the capital of Laos
and shares its border with Thailand.
King Saysetthathirath constructed the city on the curve of the Mekong
River
in the 16th century. |
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The old part of Vientiane
is an attractive and interesting settlement along the Mekong
River
where ancient temples, museums, monuments and parks are all located
just a
short distance from one another. |
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The cosmopolitan capital of Laos, Vientiane
has galleries, boutiques, theatres, nightclubs and Internet cafes,
making it a
major attraction of visitors from all around the globe. Although small,
the
city offers visitors a great variety of restaurants serving both Lao
and
foreign cuisine. |
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Art and Culture in Luang
Prabang (UNESCO) |
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Located in the northern of Laos.
Luang Prabang is around 360 kilometers from Vientiane,
the capital of Laos.
It takes about 8 hours by bus or 35 minutes by Lao Airlines to reach
and it is
one of the most attractive areas of the country. |
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Nestled in the valley,
surrounded by high mountains and
situated along the Mekong and its tributaries,
the town
was once the former capital of Laos,
during the Lane
Xang
Kingdom
from the 13th to 16th centuries. |
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Luang Prabang is renewed as the
cultural and religious
capital of Laos.
On the 2nd
December 1995,
UNESCO inscribed the town on to it’s World Heritage List, ensuring the
preservation of a mixture of traditional Lao and French colonial
architecture.
The unique character and charm of Luang Prabang helps to make it the
one of the
most popular tourist destination in the country. The magnificent
temples in
Luang Prabang are considered among the most beautiful in South East Asia. |
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It is increasingly popular for
both Lao and foreign
tourists to visit Luang Prabang for Pi Mai Lao (the Lao New Year
Festival),
which takes place in mid April. The boat Racing Festival, which takes
place in
August, is also celebrated with an emphasis on features that are unique
from
other regions in Laos. |
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Art and Culture in
Champasack |
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Fading French colonial
architecture and ancient temple
ruins make Champasack a place to see evidence of the rich cultural
heritage of Laos.
Rare freshwater dolphins and powerful waterfalls feature among the
highlights
to be seen in the province’s nature. Its geographical condition creates
one of
the most beautiful tourist sites in Laos. |
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Champasack has a population of
about 600,000 including
Lowland Lao, Highland Lao, Khmers and many unique ethnic minority
groups. The province
is also famous for the production of Lao coffee, tea, rattan, and other
agricultural produces. |
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The distance from Vientiane
to Pakse, the provincial capital of Champasack is 610 kilometers by
Route 13
(south) via the provinces of Bolikhamxay, Khammouane, Savannakhet and
Saravane. |
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Lao
Festivals and Events |
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Laos cerebrates many
annual festivals called “Boun” which are particularly enjoyable and
beautiful,
signifying traditional aspects of Lao lifestyle. Most festivals are
connected
with religion and the yearly rice farming cycle. The timing of the
festivals is
calculating according to the Buddhist lunar calendar. |
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