Vientiane
(2000 pop. 233,000). The city of Vientiane (or Viangchan, in Lao) is the capital of Laos and central to the cultural, commercial, and political life of Laos. It is situated in central Laos, along the Mekong River, and covers about 180 square kilometers. Archaeological findings in the area have included Mon artifacts related to the practice of Theravada Buddhism. The earliest known settlement near present-day Vientiane was Chandapuri (City of Sandalwood). The Mon lived in the area until about 1006. The Vientiane region became a part of Cambodia during Khmer rule (802–1431). King Xetthathirat (flourished 1540s) made the city of Vientiane the capital of Lan Xang, transferring the capital there from its previous capital, Luang Prabang, and constructed the famous shrines of Vat Phra Kaeo (1565) and That Luang (1566), the latter being the national symbol of Laos.
The city remained the capital of Lan Xang through the Lao-Siamese wars (1779 and 1826–1828). Following Siam's victory and the destruction of the city, Laotian residents were forcibly relocated to Siam, and the city became a ghost town. In March 1867, French explorers found only a few residents, including monks who were living in ruined monasteries.
The French made the city the capital of French Laos. The city is comparable to Saigon in its colonial French architecture. The French, in addition to providing their rulers and armies with accommodation, erected monasteries and restored the ancient temples. Under French rule, the population was largely Vietnamese. The Japanese briefly assumed control of the city during World War II; the French reassumed control in April 1946, and the nation was taken into the French Union.
Laos gained independence in October 1953. It soon had its own troubles, including war and civil unrest. Vientiane was, like much of Laos, bombed throughout both the war with France (French, or First, Indochina War, 1946–1954) and the Vietnam War (Second Indochina War, 1954–1975). The Pathet Lao, a Communist revolutionary group, seized power in 1975 and retained Vientiane as the capital of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
Tourism has flourished at traditional architectural sites, such as Buddhist monasteries and monuments. These include That Luang; Patousai (1958), a monument patterned on the Arc de Triomphe; and Vat Sisaket, the only temple to survive the Siamese sacking of the city in 1828 and Laos's oldest surviving temple.
Further Reading
Davies, Ben. (2001) Laos: A Journey beyond the Mekong. Bangkok, Thailand: Asia Horizon Books.
Dubus, Arnaud. (1995). Eternal Vientiane: Contemporary Portrait of a Timeless City. Hong Kong: Fortune Images Ltd. for Les Editions d'Indochine.
Kremmer, Christopher. (1998) Stalking the Elephant Kings: In Search of Laos. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press.
Mansfield, Stephen. (1995) Laos: A Portrait. Hong Kong: Elsworth Books.
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