King Setthathirat constructed the stupa in 1566. In mid-November, religious rites as well as a fair are held here during the That Luang festival. Today it is a museum which houses some of the finest Buddha sculptures in the country. Inside the main hall, and along the walls of the courtyard surrounding it, a total of 6,840 Buddha images rest in small niches or on shelves. This is a large monument reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
Visitors can get a panoramic view of the city from the top of the monument.
It is surrounded by lush green hills and impresses travelers with its gleaming temple roofs and French architecture. The city has an immensely rich cultural heritage and travelers can visit monuments, temples and enjoy scenic river trips and beautiful waterfalls. One of the most interesting and important attractions of this southwestern province is Wat Phou. This temple serves as a reminder of the influence of the Khmer empire of the seventh and eighth centuries. The temple is part of an immense city complex, contemporary with Cambodia's Angkor Wat, and it is, to a large extent, still covered by thick forests.