The Town of Luang Prabang is the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Laos containing a historic town shaped by Lao, French and traditional architecture.
Luang Prabang lies at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers in northern Laos. It was the royal capital of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang and later remained the royal residence of the Kingdom of Luang Prabang. Buddhist monasteries, royal buildings, traditional houses, and colonial-era structures form a compact historic landscape.
The town's architecture is distinctive because local building traditions coexist with nineteenth- and twentieth-century European colonial influences. Wat Xieng Thong, with its sweeping rooflines and detailed decoration, is among the best-known religious monuments. The former Royal Palace is now the National Museum.
Luang Prabang is sometimes treated as only a collection of temples, but UNESCO protects the historic urban fabric and its relationship with the surrounding natural setting. UNESCO inscribed the town in 1995, recognizing its exceptional blend of cultural traditions.