Of all the temples in Vientiane, Wat Si Muang is the most alive. It is not the oldest or grandest, but it houses the city pillar (lak muang) and Lao people come here in steady streams to make offerings, pray for luck, and consult monks. The smell of incense and the murmur of chanting fills the place from early morning until evening.
The sim was rebuilt in 1915 on the ruins of the earlier structure destroyed in 1828. A statue of King Anouvong, the last king of Vientiane, stands in the garden. If you visit, dress modestly and be discreet — this is a place of worship, not a tourist attraction, and the atmosphere is much of the point.