elephant vat phou laos

navigate by keyword : laos wat phou champasak phonthong district vat phu lao temple mountain ruined khmer hindu complex southern one oldest places worship southeast asia base mount khao kilometres mekong province sanctuary site centred sacred spring offering place mighty tutelary sprit dating back pre historic megalithic stone structures built early century bce cells carving crocodile serpent stairs platforms angkor brick buildings onsite erected 7th consequent building surviving period 11th 13th centuries elephant ayvat

sculpted elephant in a ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex (vat phou or vat phu) - laos Royalty Free Stock Photo

Elephant at Vat Phou, Laos Royalty Free Stock Photo

Crocodile at Vat Phou, Laos Royalty Free Stock Photo

sculpted lintel in a ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex (vat phou or vat phu) - laos Royalty Free Stock Photo

ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex (vat phou or vat phu) - laos Royalty Free Stock Photo

Buddha footprint Royalty Free Stock Photo

Stone carved poles of Vat Phou religious complex in Champasak province, Laos Royalty Free Stock Photo

Vat Phou (or Vat Phu Lao: temple-mountain) is a ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex in southern Laos and one of the oldest places of worship in Southeast Asia. It is at the base of mount Phou Khao, some 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the Mekong in Champasak province.There was a sanctuary on the site, centred on a sacred spring and an offering place for a mighty tutelary sprit dating back to pre-historic times. The first megalithic stone structures had been built probably as early as the second century BCE, consisting of two stone cells, a carving of a crocodile, serpent stairs, and several offering platforms One of the first pre-Angkor brick buildings onsite was erected in the early 7th century and became the focus of all consequent building activities .Most of the other surviving buildings date from the Angkor period, in the 11thâ13th centuries.