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PHONGSALY
I
LUANG
NAMTHA
I
CHAMPASACK
I
SAYABOULY
I
SAVANNAKHET |
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OUDOMXAY
I BOLIKHAMXAY
I
HOUAPHANH
I
XIENG
KHOUANG
I
SALAVANH |
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VIENTIANE
I VIENTIANE
CAPITAL
I SEKONG I KHAMMOUANE
I
BOKEO |
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 Wat
Phou
(Vat
Phu)
is a
ruined
Khmer
Hindu
temple
complex
in
southern
Laos.
It
is
located
at
the
base
of
mount
Phu
Kao,
some
6 km
from
the
Mekong
river
in
Champasak
province.
There
was
a
temple
on
the
site
as
early
as
the
5th
century,
but
the
surviving
structures
date
from
the
11th
to
13th
centuries.
The
temple
has
a
unique
structure,
in
which
the
elements
lead
to a
shrine
where
a
linga
was
bathed
in
water
from
a
mountain
spring.
The
site
later
became
a
centre
of
Theravada
Buddhist
worship,
which
it
remains
today. |
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Wat
Phou
was
initially
associated
with
the
city
of
Shrestapura,
which
lay
on
the
bank
of
the
Mekong
directly
east
of
mount
Lingaparvata
(now
called
Phu
Kao).[1]
By
the
latter
part
of
the
5th
century
the
city
was
already
the
capital
of a
kingdom
which
texts
and
inscriptions
connect
with
both
Chenla
and
Champa,
and
the
first
structure
on
the
mountain
was
constructed
around
this
time.[2]
The
mountain
gained
spiritual
importance
from
the
linga-shaped
protuberance
on
its
summit;
the
mountain
itself
was
therefore
considered
the
home
of
Shiva,
and
the
river
as
representing
the
ocean
or
the
Ganges
River.[3]
The
temple
was
naturally
dedicated
to
Shiva,
while
the
water
from
the
spring
which
emerges
directly
behind
the
temple
was
considered
sacred. |
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Wat
Phou
was
a
part
of
the
Khmer
empire,
centred
on
Angkor
to
the
southwest,
at
least
as
early
as
the
reign
of
Yashovarman
I in
the
early
10th
century.
Shrestapura
was
superseded
by a
new
city
in
the
Angkorian
period,
located
directly
south
of
the
temple.[4]
In
the
later
period,
the
original
buildings
were
replaced,
re-using
some
of
the
stone
blocks;
the
temple
now
seen
was
built
primarily
during
the
Koh
Ker
and
Baphuon
periods
of
the
11th
century.
Minor
changes
were
made
during
the
following
two
centuries,
before
the
temple,
like
most
in
the
empire,
was
converted
to
Theravada
Buddhist
use.
This
continued
after
the
area
came
under
control
of
the
Lao,
and
a
festival
is
held
on
the
site
each
February.
Little
restoration
work
has
been
done,
other
than
the
restoration
of
boundary
posts
along
the
path.
Wat
Phou
was
designated
a
World
Heritage
Site
in
2001. |
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