Photo: The city of Vientiane
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 Kaeo
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).