Temple of Pha That Luang Laos

by Venetia Featherstone-Witty

Title

Temple of Pha That Luang Laos

Artist

Venetia Featherstone-Witty

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

Pha That Luang ('Great Stupa') is a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of Vientiane, Laos. Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century, the stupa has undergone several reconstructions as recently as the 1930s due to foreign invasions of the area. It is generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol.Pha That Luang according to the Lao people was originally built as a Hindu temple in the 3rd century. Buddhist missionaries from the Mauryan Empire are believed to have been sent by the Emperor Ashoka, including Bury Chan or Praya Chanthabury Pasithisak and five Arahata monks who brought a holy relic (believed to be the breast bone) of Lord Buddha to the stupa. It was rebuilt in the 13th century as a Khmer temple which fell into ruin.Pha That Luang was destroyed by the Thai invasion in 1828, which left it heavily damaged and left abandoned. It was not until 1900 that the French restored to its original design based on the detailed drawings from 1867 by the French architect and explorer Louis Delaporte.However the first attempt to restore it was unsuccessful and it had to be redesigned and then reconstructed in the 1930s. During the Franco-Thai War, Pha That Luang was heavily damaged during a Thai air raid. After the end of World War II, Pha That Luang was reconstructed.Placed third in an FAA contest.
FEATURED 11/29/14 in "Images That Excite You"
FEATURED 12/14/15 in "Premium FAA Artists"
FEATURED 6/2/15 in "The ABC Group"
FEATURED 12/12/15 in "Awesome Asia"
FEATURED 6/22/17 in "500 to 1000 Views on 1 Image"
FEATURED 6/24/17 in "500 Views"

Uploaded

October 30th, 2014

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