Patuxai literally means Victory Gate or Gate of Triumph, formerly the Anousavary or Anosavari Monument, known by the French as Monument Aux Morts, is a war monument in the centre of Vientiane, Laos, which was built between 1957 and 1968. The Patuxai is dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France. Indochina tours Laos
Patuxai monument has five towers that represent the five Buddhist principles of “thoughtfulness, amiability, flexibility, honesty, honor and prosperity”. In front of each gate, there is a pond and the four ponds represent the open section of a lotus flower. The four corners of the gateways are adorned by statues of a Naga king.
On all of its four sides is a large arched gateway. Although the design is clearly inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the upper part and decoration is typical Lao style. The arches’ ceilings contain Lao style ornamentations, like depictions of the Hindu Gods Brahma and Vishnu, as well as mythological creatures as kinnaree and the three headed elephant Erawan. Laos travel packages
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The interior of the monument is also richly decorated with painted walls and ceilings depicting gods, goddesses and elephants. The Patuxai was built in 1969 with cement purchased from the US that was supposed to be used for the construction of a new airport, but ended up on this monument. Beneath the arch is a doorway with staircase that leads to the top of the monument. For a small fee, energetic visitors can climb to the top of the monument, which reveals an excellent panoramic view of the city with its many trees, low-rise buildings and temples, and all the way across the Mekong River to Thailand.
Painted ceiling depicts gods, goddesses and elephants
The monument is located at the end of Patuxai Park, a popular area for an evening stroll featuring palm trees and a musical fountain, with increasing traffic has come to resemble a spectacular oblong roundabout. The walkway leading from the monument is lined with plants and benches, and circles two large fountains.
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