One of the most beautiful and crowded temple in city, Wat Si Muang is located near the eastern entrance to the city center, on the road leading from the Friendship Bridge. It was built on the ruins of a Khmer Hindu shrine; its remains can be seen behind the ordination hall.

A legend there said that a young pregnant woman named Si Muang volunteered to sacrifice herself to appease the angry spirits during its construction in 1563. She threw herself into a hole in the ground where the building’s central pillar was to be placed, and was crushed when the massive pillar was lowered into position. This central pillar formed the centre of the town was springing up around Wat Si Muang. This action makes locals consider as the ‘mother temple’ of Vientiane.

During the That Luang Festival every October or November, this place becomes one of the focal points of the celebrations. And Si Muang is fêted as a guardian of the city. On a daily basis, Wat Si Muang attracts crowds of local Buddhists who want to benefit from its ‘good luck’ powers.