Over the past couple of years one of Vientiane’s most beautiful temples, Vat Si Saket, has been undergoing a steady process of renovation.

The roof of the cloisters have been retiled and now some of the inner walls are being painted. The image above is how they have looked for as long as I can remember. Below shows the work being done. I assume this is how they believe they were originally painted.

I’m not sure if the intention is to do all the walls. If it is, then it’s a mammoth task but should look stunning when completed.

Vat Si Saket is one of the oldest and most atmospheric temples in Vientiane. It was built in 1818 and is one of the few to have survived an attack on Vientiane by the Siamese army a decade later.

The temple’s central ‘sim’ or ordination hall is surrounded by a walled cloister. In addition to rows of large Buddha images, recesses in the cloister walls house 6,840 wooden and ceramic images.

The temple is open daily from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

I’ve been a bit lax with posts just lately. Having recently returned from Vientiane I now have dozens of images to sift through and edit for a book project I’m working on.  They’ll be a few posts over the next few days but they are likely to be brief. All images and few words – but that’s not a bad thing.

While in the booming Lao capital I paid a visit to Vat Si Saket, one of the oldest and most atmospheric temples in the city.

The temple was built in 1818 and is one of the few to survive an attack on Vientiane from the Siamese army a decade later.

Vat Si Saket is located on the corner of Lane Xang Avenue and Setthathirat Road, close to the Presidential Palace and across the road from Vientiane other revered temple, Haw Pha Kaew.

Now a museum housing an impressive collection of Buddha images, the temple’s central sim or ordination hall is surrounded by a walled cloister. In addition to the rows of large images, recesses in the cloister walls house 6,840 silver and ceramic Buddhas.

If you are visiting Vientiane, this temple should certainly be on your itinerary.

Vat Si Saket is open to the public daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and costs Kip 5,000 to get in.