Sadly a great deal of the Lao built heritage has long since disappeared. Constructed mainly of wood prior to the 19th century, many palaces and temples ultimately fell victim to the tropical climate, but the great majority were destroyed by plundering neighbours. Much of what now remains is of fairly recent origin, rebuilt completely using modern techniques and materials rather than reconstructed in accordance with traditional methods and styles. Despite this fact, there remain numerous important heritage sites, which range from clusters of ancient standing stones and burial urns to graceful Khmer temple complexes, elegant Buddhist wats (temples), stilted domestic dwellings and French colonial residences.

Use the navigation bar on the left to read more about built heritage in Laos or make direct contact with organisations and individuals working in this sector through our KEY CONTACTS database.