Enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures at Buddha Park in Vientiane
Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan or Spirit City, is an open-air sculpture garden housing a large number of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. The park was built in 1958 by Bounleua Sulilat, a priest-shaman and sculpture artist on the bank of the Mekong River, around 25km southeast of Vientiane. There are more than 200 sculptures made from reinforced concrete displayed in the park that vary in sizes and shapes. Some are statues of Buddha and Hindu gods, the others are sculptures of demons, deities, and mythological creatures. The most striking spot is a giant pumpkin with three floors representing Hell, Earth, and Heaven. You can enter inside the pumpkin through a demon head’s mouth serving as the entrance, climb staircases and you will reach a vantage point that offers the entire park view. Another notable attraction is an enormous 40-meter-long reclining Buddha.
