Name: Wat That (Mahathat)
Location: Vang Vieng, Vientiane Province, Laos
Date built: Unknown
Description: Buddhist temple
Date visited: 11th March 2014

Just a few hundred metres along the road north out of Vang Vieng is Wat That (Mahrathat) which is a significant temple complex as it offers teaching for novice monks. This complex is constructed in traditional style and contains a chedi (that) without decoration and discoloured black over time by the weather. These structures indicate the site of the remains of monks or other persons of high status. Chedi towers are normally the oldest part of Buddhist temples in Asia as the solid construction tends to outlast the buildings which often need to be replaced because they deteriorate or need to be updated to include modern facilities such as electrical appliances. Typically holy relics will be encased within the base of a chedi. The tradition of installing chedis at Buddhist temples is believed to have been derived from ancient Hindu cosmology with the chedi representing Mount Meru, which according to Hindu belief is located at the centre of the universe and is the home of the Gods.

Source website: https://www.laoslife.info/wat-that-vang-vieng/