Wat Souvanna Khiri, Luang Prabang

The assembly hall of Wat Souvanna Khiri, Luang Prabang.

Wat Souvanna Khiri, which means Monastery of the Golden Mountain, is a Laotian monastery located along Sakkarine Road, the main road along the small peninsula of Luang Prabang. Its name is also variously written as Wat Souvanna Khili or simply as Wat Khili. I visited it at the heat of midday. It was one of the last temples I visited before I took a rest for lunch.

Wat Souvanna Khiri was built in 1773 by Chao Kham Sattha. I believe he was a monk, but I am not sure, as it was not stated in the documents I researched. Anyway, he came from Xieng Khouang province. As a result, the sim of Wat Souvanna Khiri resembles those found in the Plain of Jars. It has a pair of gold columns and a double roof.

One unique aspect about Wat Souvanna Khiri is that not all of its buildings are in the traditional Laotian style. Its monks living quarters is built in French colonial style. I am not sure whether this colonial-style building was intended as part of the wat, or was it built for other purposes, and somehow became the monks' living quarters.

Wat Souvanna Khiri is located near the end of the Luang Prabang peninsula, where the Nam Khan River makes a sharp bend before entering the Mekong River.

The monks' living quarters is in this colonial-style building.

A stupa at the rear of the sim.

The sim of Wat Souvanna Khiri.

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