Wat Si Saket
Temple housing over 10,000 Buddha images
Vientiane
The Wat Si Saket is an early 19th century Buddhist monastery in the center of Vientiane. It is the oldest temple of the town that is still in its original form.
History of the temple
The Wat Si Saket was built in 1820 near the Royal Palace in the center of town by King Anouvong, the last King of Vientiane. It is one of the very few temples that survived the destruction that came with the Siamese armies, that looted and burnt the city in 1827.
Turned into a museum
The cloister and sim have been turned into a museum housing thousands of Buddha images, the oldest ones being from the 16th century. The museum houses over 10,000 images of the Buddha in various mudras. Almost 7,000 of them are contained in niches in the galleries surrounding the cloister. A fenced storage room contains hundreds of broken Buddha images that were discovered during excavation works.
Active temple
The temple was restored in the 1930’s. Next to the cloister is the more recent, active part of the temple with resident monks. Right across the street is another one of Vientiane’s most important temples, the Haw Phra Kaew.
The sim
The sim is found in the center of a walled cloister. Long rows of niches in the cloister walls contain small Buddha images, usually in pairs. Almost 7,000 images can be found in the galleries alone. Seated in front of the niches are larger seated Buddha images in the Bhumisparsha mudra, “Calling the Earth to witness”.
Sim interior
The sim’s multi tiered roof is decorated with Naga finials. It houses the principal Buddha image seated on a high pedestal. The lower part of the interior wall is adorned with ancient murals, the upper part contains hundreds of small niches with Buddha images similar to those of the cloister walls. Taking photographs inside the sim is not allowed to protect the ancient murals from flash light.
Hang Hod
On one of the sides of the sim is a “Hang Hod”, a wooden trough in the shape of a Naga serpent. The Hang Hod is used during Laos new year celebrations; the water that flows through the trough is used for ceremonial cleaning of Buddha images.
Other structures
A small Ho Trai or library building is set on a stone platform. Inside the structure with a multi tiered roof is a wooden cabinet where the Tripitaka, ancient Buddhist manuscripts were kept.
Next to the cloister is the active part of the monastery surrounded by gardens. On the grounds are a sim, several stupas, a drum tower, an open pavilion sheltering a large seated Buddha image and the kuti, the monks living quarters.
Location
The Wat Si Saket is located on the intersection of Lane Xang road and Setthathirat road in Vientiane, near the Presidential Palace and the Haw Phra Kaew temple.
How to get to the Wat Si Saket
It can be reached on foot from many of Vientiane’s attractions. Alternatively, get there on a rented bicycle which will cost around 10,000 Kip per day. A shared tuk tuk in the center of Vientiane will cost around 20,000 Kip per person, a private one double or triple that.
Opening hours
The temple opens daily from 8 am until noon and from 1 pm until 4 pm.
Entrance fee
Entrance fee is 5,000 Kip per person.
Attractions Vientiane
Vientiane Temples
Other attractions Vientiane