Svelte and golden Pha That Luang is the most important national monument in Laos; a symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. Legend has it that Ashokan missionaries from India erected a tâht (stupa) here to enclose a piece of Buddha's breastbone as early as the 3rd century BC.
A high-walled cloister with tiny windows surrounds the 45m-high stupa. The cloister measures 85m on each side and contains various buddha images. Pha That Luang is about 4km northeast of the city centre at the end of Th That Luang.
