Wat Si Muang, Vientiane

Flower stalls line the road leading to Wat Si Muang, selling offerings to the constant stream of local visitors who come to petition help from the temple's oldest Buddha icon. Home to the lak muang (city pillar) containing Vientiane's guardian spirits, a temple has occupied this site since the 16th century. Brightly decorated, the current building, which dates from 1915, sits alongside traces of the ancient city wall and a dilapidated Khmer stupa. During the That Luang Festival, Wat Si Muang is at the heart of celebrations honoring the foundation of the city.