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Concept
Vientiane
Summary
Vientiane (vi,ɛntiˈɑːn , vjɛ̃tjan; ວຽງຈັນ, Viangchan, wía̯ŋ t͡ɕàn) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Comprising the five urban districts of Vientiane Prefecture, the city is located on the banks of the Mekong, right at the border with Thailand. Vientiane was the administrative capital during French rule and, due to economic growth in recent times, is now the economic center of Laos. The city had a population of 1,001,477 as of the 2023 Census.
Vientiane is noted as the home of the most significant national monuments in Laos – Pha That Luang – which is a known symbol of Laos and an icon of Buddhism in Laos. Other significant Buddhist temples in Laos can be found there as well, such as Haw Phra Kaew, which formerly housed the Emerald Buddha.
The city hosted the 25th Southeast Asian Games in December 2009, celebrating 50 years of the games.
'Vientiane' is the French spelling derived from the Lao Viangchan /ʋíːəŋ tɕan/. The name was previously written 'ວຽງຈັນທນ໌' (in Thai, เวียงจันทน์) but now usually written 'ວຽງຈັນ'. In Lao, viang (ວຽງ) refers to a 'walled city' whereas chan (ຈັນ, previously ຈັນທນ໌) derives from Sanskrit candana (चन्दन, /t͡ɕand̪ana/), 'sandalwood' and can be translated as the 'walled city of sandalwood'. Some Laotians mistakenly believe it refers to the 'walled city of the moon' as chan can also represent 'moon', although this was previously distinguished in writing as 'ຈັນທຣ໌'. Other romanisations include 'Viangchan' and 'Wiangchan'.
By the 6th century in the Chao Phraya River Valley, Mon peoples had coalesced to create the Dvaravati kingdoms. In the north, Haripunjaya (Lamphun) emerged as a rival power to the Dvaravati. By the 8th century the Mon had pushed north to create city states, in Fa Daet (modern Kalasin, northeastern Thailand), Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) near modern Tha Khek, Laos, Muang Sua (Luang Prabang), and Chantaburi (Vientiane). In the 8th century CE, Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) was the strongest of these early city states, and controlled trade throughout the middle Mekong region.
Official source
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