Khammouane Province is set to host the annual Sikhottabong Stupa Festival from 29 January to 2 February, celebrating one of the province’s most sacred and historical landmarks.
The festival, held during the full moon of the third lunar month in the Lao calendar (mostly in February), honors the revered Sikhottabong Stupa, also known as Pha That Meuang Kao (Old City Stupa). Located in Thakhek district along the Mekong riverside, approximately six kilometers south of city center, the 29-meter stupa stands as an important cultural icon of Khammouane Province and Laos.
During the multi-day celebration, visitors can participate in religious activities, traditional alms giving, and wax castle processions around the stupa. The festival also features cultural performances, a local trade fair, and various entertainment events.
A Monument Shaped by Centuries
The stupa takes its name from the ancient city of Sikhottabong and its former royal lineage, who were moved from Sikhottabong district in Vientiane the capital by decree of the Lane Xang monarch. Built as a replacement for an older shrine that held the Buddha’s sacred relics, the structure has served as a revered relic repository for centuries.
The original stupa dates to the 6th century under King Soumintharath Sumitta Thammavongsa of the Kingdom of Sikhottabong, constructed specifically to enshrine Buddhist relics. Throughout its long history, the monument has been transformed multiple times. When the region fell under Khmer Empire control in the 7th century, the stupa underwent renovations incorporating Hindu architectural elements.
Later, when the Lane Xang Kingdom regained control, King Phothisarat (around the 16th century) added the distinctive lotus-bud top. King Xayyasethathirath later refurbished the stupa to its present form, which has remained largely unchanged, with additional facilities constructed during the 1950s.
Measuring 25 meters on each of its four sides, the stupa is believed to have been built in the same period and style as other significant stupas, including Phra That Phanom across the Mekong River in Thailand’s Nakhon Phanom Province, Inghang Stupa in Savannakhet province, and Thatluang Stupa in Vientiane Capital.
The event coincides with the Vat Phou Festival in Champasak province, drawing pilgrims and visitors from across Laos to pay homage to this hallowed site.
