Luang Prabang was one of the kingdoms that comprised the ancient territory of Laos. Today, it is still known as the royal capital of Laos as the king of Luang Prabang outlasted the other kings until the communist took over in the 1970s. All over town you find the royal symbol: the three-headed elephant and white parasol (as seen on the old Royal Taxes office below). Naturally, one can visit the Royal Palace in Luang Prabang which the French help to construct in the early 20th century in order to ensure the king's support. Unfortunately the do not allow cameras on the inside of the palace because the interior is much more impressive than the exterior. The palace still houses the Golden Buddha (Pra Bang), which gave its name to the city. The Golden Buddha reportedly came from Sri Lanka sometime before the 10th century with some people claiming it arrived as long ago as the 100s.
The path leading to the front door of the palace. I imagine that European explorers who arrived in the early 1900s were quite impressed.
Wat Ho Prabang on the palace grounds built to house the Golden Buddha but it is not the royal temple.
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