Haw Phra Bang is an ornate Buddhist temple inside the Royal Palace Museum grounds on Sisavangvong Road in Luang Prabang. Built in 2006 to house the sacred Phra Bang Buddha, it has a tiered roof, gilded details and multi-headed Naga figures at the entrance. The statue gives the city its name and is an important national religious image. You can admire the temple from outside the grounds, or enter the museum complex to see it up close; photography inside is restricted.
A temple for the Phra Bang Buddha
Haw Phra Bang was built in 2006 within the Royal Palace Museum grounds. Its purpose is to house the Phra Bang, a sacred Buddha image regarded as Laos’s most important. The statue is associated with the safety of the nation and is the source of Luang Prabang’s name, which means “Royal Buddha Image.”
The image has a long place in the region’s history. Accounts in the gathered material connect it with the Lan Xang kingdom and describe it as having been taken by Siamese armies and later returned. The details of its origins differ, so the temple’s significance is clearer than any single account of the statue’s early history.
The Royal Palace grounds
The temple stands within the former royal palace compound, which is now a museum. Other buildings in the grounds include a Royal Barge Shelter and a conference hall. Entry to the temple is tied to paid access to the museum grounds.
If you do not plan to enter, a raised terrace across the street from the palace entrance gives a view of Haw Phra Bang. This also makes it possible to focus on the exterior without entering the complex.
Häufige Fragen
Do you need a ticket to see Haw Phra Bang?
The temple is inside the Royal Palace Museum grounds, and access to the grounds requires paid entry. You can see the exterior from the raised terrace across the street without entering.
Can you take photos inside Haw Phra Bang?
Photography inside the temple is restricted. The exterior can be viewed and photographed from outside the grounds.
What is the Phra Bang Buddha?
It is a sacred Buddha image housed in Haw Phra Bang. The statue is closely tied to the city’s name and is regarded as an important national religious image.
