Vat Phou (Wat Phu)

Name of structure:

Vat Phou or What Phu

Location of Structure:
In southern Laos, at the base mount of Phu Kao, 6 meters from Mekong River
in Champasak province.

Description of the Structure:

-

Vat Phou is a religious temple complex.

The structure had different owners, commanded through different
leaders, as the each preceding empire ruled, owned, altered and added
features

which

are

now

deteriorating.

Yasovarman in the early 10th century.

It

was

reigned

by

the

Baphuon period of the later

11th century took place, then This continued after the area came
under control of the Lao

It was based on the Architecture of Khmer, an architectural movement

dictated and based on the ruling of the Khmer empire, for which Vat
Phou was part of. One temple in the site was constructed around the
5th century but most buildings found in the complex are from the 11th

to 13th centuries.
History foresees that the backdrop of Vat Phou, which is the Phu Kao
mountain, has an uncanny resemblance
of a Lingam, a representation of the Hindu
Deity Shiva, which made the people then
give the mountain a spiritual importance,
being considered as the home of Shiva.

The site is oriented towards the south, but

the actual axis itself faces eight degrees
south of due east.

The two large barays shall be met first

among else, which serves as an artificial
lake for their religious and practical use,
representing the ocean surrounding the
earth, also acting as the complexs reservoir.

Vat Phou has been an active temple for Buddhist religious practice
because Buddhism replaced Hinduism in Laos in the mid 13th century.

Two palaces stand on a terrace on either

side of the axis. They are known as the
north and south palaces or the men's and
women's palaces. Each consisted of a
rectangular courtyard with a corridor and
entrance on the side towards the axis,
and false doors at the east and west ends.

Other features of the area are a library, in

poor condition, south of the sanctuary,
and a relief of the Hindu trinity to the
northwest.

It was constructed using sandstone, laterite and bricks. Among many

of

the

carvings

outstanding
there

are

the

Indra, the Hindu god of

war, storms, and rainfall,
riding

three-headed

elephant and Vishnu riding

on a garuda, an eagle.

Important factors or
influences affecting the architecture of the structure
-

It was built and present around the 5 th century, continuing the addition

of structures from up to 11th and 13th century.

The backdrop, which is the mountain Phu Kao, is regarded as the home
of their God, Shiva, therefore it was chosen as an ideal site for the

worship place for Hinduism, greatly reflecting the style of the structure.
The temple has a unique structure, in which the elements lead to
a shrine where a linga dedicated to Lord Shiva was bathed in water
from a mountainspring.

It was shaped to express the Hindu vision of the relationship between

nature and humanity, using an axis from mountain top to river bank to
lay out a geometric pattern of temples, shrines and waterworks

Character defining symbols and elements

-

Vat Phou consists of many Hindu elements and symbolisms that greatly
reflect their the general character of the structure, these are reflected

through details, carvings and mouldings found within their details:

The sanctuary in two parts. The front section, of sandstone, occupied

by four Buddha images.

Water from the spring which emerges from the cliff about 60 m
southwest of the sanctuary was channeled along stone aqueducts into

the rear chamber

a Buddha's footprint on the cliff-face, and boulders shaped to resemble
elephants and a crocodile. A lintel showing Vishnu on Garuda, on the
north-east wall of the sanctuary. A lintel showing Krishna killing Kamsa,
on the south wall of the sanctuary.

Why was it declared world heritage site

-

is a remarkably well-preserved planned landscape more than 1,000

years old.
Criterion iii The Temple Complex of Vat Phou bears exceptional
testimony to the cultures of south-east Asia, and in particular to the

Khmer Empire which dominated the region in the 10th14th centuries.

Criterion iv The Vat Phou complex is an outstanding example of the
integration of symbolic landscape of great spiritual significance to its

natural surroundings.
Criterion vi Contrived to express the Hindu version of the relationship
between nature and humanity, Vat Phou exhibits a remarkable complex
of monuments and other structures over an extensive area between
river and mountain, some of outstanding architecture, many containing

great works of art, and all expressing intense religious conviction and
commitment.

Trivia
-

The crocodile stone acquired notoriety as being possibly the site of an

annual human

sacrifice described

in

6th-century

Chinese

text

dimensions to those of a human.

Main

Picture

of

Vat

Sources:

Phou

http://www.vietnamdhtravel.com/wp-

content/uploads/2014/06/Wat-Phou.jpg
Mountain - http://www.nationsonline.org/album/Laos/slides/Vat-Phou_06.jpg
Plan of Vat Phou
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Watphouplan01
.png/500px-Watphouplan01.png
Picture after the plan
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Watphoupeakli
nga03.jpg/220px-Watphoupeaklinga03.jpg
Crocodile Footprint:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vat_Phou#/media/File:WatPhuCrocodile.JPG
Informations:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/481
http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/champasak.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingam
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vat_Phou