Laos: Jade Buddha, Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham, Luang Prabang

Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham dates from the early 19th century. The temple was once the residence of the Sangkhalat, the supreme patriarch of Buddhism in Laos. The sim (ordination hall) is wooden, with a five-tiered roof in classic Luang Prabang style. The main attraction of the sim is the gilded walls of the front veranda, the designs of which recount scenes from the Ramayana and the Buddha's penultimate incarnation (Vessantara Jataka). For the first half of the 20th century the Phra Bang (Royal Buddha image in the Dispelling Fear mudra) was housed inside the sim, and it is still put on display here during the Lao New Year celebrations. Luang Prabang was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. Until the communist takeover in 1975, it was the royal capital and seat of government of the Kingdom of Laos. The city is nowadays a UNESCO World Heritage Site.