This temple is one of the most important in Laos. It was originally built in the mid-16th century by King Setthathirat and is believed to occupy a site first used for religious purposes in the 3rd century. However, like almost every other temple in Vientiane it was destroyed in later wars with the Siamese, then rebuilt in the 20th century.
The Hawng Sangkhalat (Deputy Patriarch) of the Lao monastic order has his official residence here and presides over the Buddhist Institute, a school for monks who come from all over the country to study dhamma (the Buddha’s teachings).