Why it's the capital
King Setthathirath made Vientiane the capital of the Lan Xang kingdom in 1563 to avoid Burmese invasion. It was also the administrative capital during French rule.
Vientiane
Capital of LaosVientiane lies on the north bank of the Mekong River in Laos, facing Thailand across the water.
Fun facts
- The name comes from the Lao word Viangchan, often translated as "walled city of sandalwood" or "walled city of the moon".
- Pha That Luang, a golden stupa 45 m tall, is a national cultural monument of Laos.
- The Patuxai, or "Victory Gate", was built with cement from the United States that was meant for an airbase, which earned it the nickname "vertical runway".
Finding it on the globe
Tap the Lao side of the Mekong about 25 km upriver from the Thai town of Nong Khai; the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge links the two.
Easy to mix up
Some players tap Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage town to the north that was the capital of Lan Xang from 1353, but the capital of Laos is Vientiane.
Sources: Wikipedia: Vientiane, Wikipedia: Patuxai, Wikipedia: Nong Khai, Wikipedia: Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, Wikipedia: Luang Prabang