Vientiane "Wiangchan" Location: Vientiane located on a plain, in the north-west of the country, situated on a sweeping bend on the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point. Climate: Tropical (Right) That Luang Stupa, a venerated religious shrine which  is the symbol of  Lan Xang. King Settathirat Emerald Buddha Brief History In 1563, King Settathirat declared Vientiane the capital of Lan Xang, and built Wat Pra Keo to house the Emerald Buddha, a gift from the king of Ceylon, as a new talisman for the kingdom. Settathirat is revered as one of the great Lao kings because he protected the nation from foreign subjugation. When he disappeared in 1574 on a military campaign, the kingdom rapidly declined and was subject to Burmese invasion. There was a quick and lackluster succession of kings after Settathirat. As a result of struggle over succession, the Kingdom of Lan Xang in 1690-1707 was partitioned into the kingdoms of Luang Prabang, Champasak and Vientiane. When Burmese forces threatened Vientiane in 1765, the king submitted and contributed forces for the war against the neighbouring Kingdom of Luang Prabang. With the Burmese forces withdrawn, Vientiane suffered a retaliatory attack from Luang Prabang.   In 1778-79 Vientiane was conquered by the Siamese and made a Siamese vassal state; as it already was a Vietnamese vassal state it found itself in a volatile situation. 1827-28 a Vientianese rebellion against Siamese supremacy, lead by King Chao Anou, begun because of injust treatment of the Lao, was suppressed. The vassal kingdom of Vientiane was abolished and turned into a Siamese province (1831); Vietnam reacted by annexing the eastern provinces and placing them under the administration of Vietnamese officials.  Thinking of moving to Vientiane? There are 3 properties up for auction!