| In
1563, King Setthathirat made Vientiane (in Lao language Vieng Chan) the capital
of the kingdom of Lane Xang. The two most important Wats of Vientiane, Wat That
Luang and Wat Phra Keo date back to that time. In 1827 Vientiane had been conquered
and sacked by a Siamese army. For decades the town lay in ruins, until the French,
at the beginning of their colonial reign rebuilt it. However, Vientiane today
does not feature French-influenced architecture to the same extent as Phnom Penh
and Saigon. Instead there is a strong Thai influence. With barely half a Million
inhabitants Vientiane is the smallest capital in Southeast Asia (except for Bandar
Seri Begawan of Brunei). |
