Patuxay Monument

• Location: Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane, Laos
• Entrance Ticket: 30,000Kip/person
• Opening Hours: 08:00-16:30 (Monday to Friday); 08:00-17:00 (Saturday to Sunday)
• Reasons to Visit: it is an iconic building in Vientiane; after climbing up to the top, you can have an overlooking of Vientiane City.

Patuxay Monument is located in the central area of Vientiane city. The monument is 45 meters high and 24 meters wide. It is built to commemorate the liberation of the Lao people's independence. Now it has become a landmark of Vientiane.

History of Patuxay Monument

The construction of Patuxay Monument began in 1960, and was basically completed in 1969. It was originally built to commemorate the people who died in the war. In 1957, Laos ended its history of being colonized by France and finally became an independent country. At the time of liberation in 1975, a parade celebrating the victory in Vientiane passed through here. In order to commemorate this historic event, the Laotian people called it Patuxay Monument.

Structure of Patuxay Monument

Patuxay Monument has arched doors and carvings on all four sides, and the shape is exactly the same with each other. Its appearance is similar in shape to the Arc DE Triumph in Paris, France. But on the base of its arches, there are typical carvings and decorations of Lao temple. Although it looks similar to the Arc DE Triumph in Paris from a distance and also connects the most prosperous streets, its scale is much smaller, and the internal structure contains a strong Buddhist culture. The Buddha statues and the characters in myths carved on the door are full of religious colors.

Ascending to the top of the Patuxay Monument, visitors would be able to watch the panoramic view of the city center of Vientiane. There are seven floors in total. The first to fourth floors are indoor, and on the third and fourth floors have some shops selling souvenirs; the fifth and sixth floors are outdoor, with some views of the city; the seventh floor is also indoor, with a very small space to look out from the windows. The design of the window frame is very interesting.

Other Things to See

In front of the Patuxay Monument, there is a musical fountain square built with the assistance of China. The square fountain will be open regularly.

There are also many other famous attractions around Patuxay Monument. At the end of the square is the World Peace Gong donated by Indonesia. Next to the Patuxay Monument is the Laotian Prime Minister's House. The Presidential Palace is located on the other end of Lane Xang Avenue. But neither the Prime Minister's House nor the Presidential Palace is open to tourists.