Wat Phra Phome Phao, Luang Prabang

Wat Phra Phome Phao.

Wat Phra Phome Phao Santi Chedi is a Laotian temple in Luang Prabang. This temple has a stupa on top of it. There is a variety of ways to transcribe the name, and based on my research, I have come across it written as Wat Phra Phome Phao Santi Chedi, Wat Pa Phol Phao, Vat Pa Phonphao, and Phra That Khong Santi Chedi.

The bell-shaped stupa of Wat Phra Phome Phao Santi Chedi is highly visible from Mount Phousi, as we looked in the direction of the eastern bank of the Nam Khan River outside the main portion of Luang Prabang. I went out of Luang Prabang to seek out this temple. When I found, I discovered that it is located at the top of a hillock. From the foot of the hillock, the stupa is not that visible, blocked by its own two-storey podium.

The podium is hexagonal with lovely ornamentally carved doors. Inside are painted frescoes depicting the Buddhist heavens and hells.

Wat Phra Phome Phao Santi Chedi was built in 1959, but the project was only completed in 1988. Funds for the construction came from donation of Laotian people from abroad. The stupa is said to model after the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

The sim of Wat Phra Phome Phao.

One of the doors of Wat Phra Phome Phao.

Wat Phra Phome Phao as seen across the Nam Khan river from Mount Phousi.

How to go to Wat Phra Phome Phao

Wat Phra Phome Phao is located on the eastern bank of the Nam Khan River, after the Sisavangvong Bridge, on the outskirts of Luang Prabang. It is not too difficult to find, as long as you get a knowledgeable tuk tuk to take you there. You can also see it from the top of Mount Phousi.

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