Name: Wat Phou Temple Complex
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Wat Phou Temple Complex

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Wat Phou Temple Complex

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1. Wat Phou Temple Complex loop from Nongsa

3.74km

01:04

70m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Weltreisen26

January 27, 2023

Ancient city of Angkor Empire

Translated by Google •

Andi

February 21, 2025

Wat Phu (Lao: ວັດພູ, "mountain temple") is a former Khmer Hindu temple complex in the Champasak province in southern Laos. The preserved ruins date from the 11th to 13th centuries. The "Wat Phou temple district and the associated ancient settlements in the Champasak cultural landscape" have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.

Source: de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Phu

Translated by Google •

Andi

April 25, 2025

Not far from the Mekong River, at the foot of Mount Phu Kao, lies Wat Phou. The main path to the two palaces is located between two large basins, which today only fill with water during the rainy season. The ruins of the North and South Palaces still stand today, and reliefs from the Khmer period can be seen on their facades. Behind them began the road to Angkor Wat, which was so important at the time.

From here, the path leads up the mountain to the sanctuary. The paving stones and the steps up the slope are old and have long been crooked. Sections of the stairs are steep, so those climbing them should take their time. At the top of the mountain stands the sanctuary, shaded by a clump of trees. The view from up here extends over the entire complex all the way to the Mekong. Behind the sanctuary is the steep rock face of the mountain with the sacred spring.

The sanctuary is an important site for Buddhists; it contains three figures that are venerated by the locals. The façade features ornate reliefs and figures of Hindu symbols and bare-breasted beauties. Many deep cracks in the sanctuary testify to its age. Also up on the plateau, in close proximity, are a Buddha and two rocks, one resembling an elephant and the other a crocodile.

A temple existed on this site as early as the 5th century; the current buildings date back to the 11th to 13th centuries. The Khmers originally dedicated the temple to the Hindu god Shiva. The top of the mountain on which the complex was built resembles a phallus (symbolizing Shiva's creative power) and a Shiva linga. Over time, the temple was converted into a Buddhist temple, but the Hindu elements from its time of construction can still be seen.

Source: highlights-in-laos.de/sehenswurdigkeiten-in-laos/wat-phou

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Elevation 110 m

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Today

Thursday 9 October

31°C

24°C

40 %

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Max wind speed: 1.0 km/h

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Location: Laos

Wat Phou Temple Complex

1. Wat Phou Temple Complex loop from Nongsa

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