Stock Photo: Shiva Statue Of Vat Phou Or Wat Phu At Pakse In Champasak, Laos
ID 54801085 © Tuayai | Megapixl.com
Vat Phou or Wat Phu (temple-mountain) is a ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex in southern Laos. It is located at the base of mount Phu Kao, some 6 km from the Mekong river in Champasak province. There was a temple on the site as early as the 5th century, but the surviving structures date from the 11th to 13th centuries. 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 mountain spring. The site later became a centre of Theravada Buddhist worship, which it remains today. Like most Khmer temples, Wat Phou is orientated towards the east. although the axis actually faces eight degrees south of due east, being determined primarily by the orientation of the mountain and the river. Including the barays it stretches 1.4 km east from the source of the spring, at the base of a cliff 100 m up the hill. 6 km east of the temple, on the west bank of the Mekong, lay the city, while a road south from the temple itself led to other temples and ultimately to the city of Angkor.
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ancient antique archeology architecture art asia asian beautiful buddha buddhism buddhist building champasak cultural culture god heritage hindu hinduism historical history khmer landmark landscape lao laos laotian mountain old pakse phou phu religion religious ruin sculpture shiva shrine site southern statue stone temple tourism traditional travel unesco vat wat worship
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