Pha That Luang (; "Great Stupa") is a gold-covered Buddhist stupa in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century AD, the stupa has undergone reconstructions, including in the 1930s, due to invasions of the area.
History
Buddhist missionaries from the Mauryan Empire are believed to have been sent by Emperor Ashoka, including Bury Chan or Praya Chanthabury Pasithisak and five Arahanta monks, who brought a sacred relic (believed to be the breastbone) of the Buddha and enshrined it into the stupa in the 3rd century BC. It was constructed about 4 km from the centre of Vientiane, at the end of Pha That Luang Road, and named accordingly. The stupa was repeatedly plundered by the Burmese, Siamese, and Chinese.