Muang Khoun
Muang Khoun is a city in the Laotian province of Xieng Khouang with an eventful history and several buildings worth seeing.
Location and history
Muang Khoun is 33 km southeast of Phonsavan . It was originally called "Xieng Khouan" and was the capital of the independent Tai principality of Muang Phouan, which was well known for its temples and wealth in the 16th century. Muang Khoun later became the capital of Xieng Khouang Province. In 1964 the city became the headquarters of the Pathet Lao and was fought over, conquered and retaken several times during the war with the USA . It was almost completely bombed. After the end of the war, when almost all residents had left the city, the present provincial capital Phonsavan was established and Muang Khoun lost its importance. Many Laotians still regard the city with its 14,000 inhabitants as the capital of the province.
Attractions
The landmark of the city is the ruins of the Wat Phia Wat temple , which fell victim to American bombs in 1968. The temple was built in the 16th century on a brick base with a large Buddha statue in the middle. With its visible damage, the statue, which stands in the open air between badly damaged brick pillars, is a frequently depicted symbol of the cruelty of war. Wat Phia Wat is still used for religious purposes today. Locals bring flowers and fruits as offerings here.
The city center is dominated by the approximately 30 m high, blackish stupa That Foun , which is also called "That Chom Si" and was built in the 14th century in Ayuttha style with a typical bell shape. Stucco decorations are still visible. Over time, the brick-built stupa was almost hollowed out by looters in search of treasure.
Nearby, on the main street not far from the hospital, there are the burned-out ruins of a large villa from the French colonial era.
At the western entrance to the city, the heavily overgrown ruin of the temple That Chom Pet rises on a hill . Nearby are some longhouses of the Tai Phuan minority made of solid wooden beams, which are very unusual for Laos.
Before the war there were several Buddhist temples from the 16th to 19th centuries in Muang Khoun, all of which were destroyed in the war. In the city only part of the small temple Wat Si Phoum was rebuilt. Its stupa, which has not been rebuilt on a square floor plan, is reminiscent of That Luang in Vientiane.
Transport links
Muang Khoun is connected to Phonsavan by an asphalt road that is passable in all weathers and on which buses run several times a day. The closest airport is in Phonsavan, from where there are daily flights to and from Vientiane .
Muang Khoun today
Muang Khoun, which consists mostly of wooden houses with a corrugated iron roof, has a hospital, a school, a market hall and a guest house. Most of the city's residents belong to the minorities of the Tai Dam, Tai Neua or Tai Phuan, only a few lowland Laotians or Vietnamese live here.
Surroundings
To the west and northwest of the city is the plain of the jugs , one of the country's main attractions.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Stefan Loose: Laos , p. 369. Ostfildern 2009
- ↑ Michael Schultze: Laos , p. 310. Bielefeld 2006
- ↑ Birgit Borowski: Laos , p. 192. Ostfildern 2008
- ↑ Stefan Loose: Laos , p. 370. Ostfildern 2009
Web links
Coordinates: 19 ° 20 ′ N , 103 ° 22 ′ E