Wat Nong Sikhounmuang

The roof of Wat Nong Sikhounmuang drops in three distinct, sweeping tiers, each edge gilded in thick gold leaf that catches the afternoon sun against the dark wooden walls. Inside, the monks keep a massive bronze Buddha image cast in the middle of the eighteenth century. When the city suffered a devastating fire in eighteen ninety-four, the original structure burned to the ground. Local residents managed to carry the heavy statue to safety before the roof collapsed, saving the centerpiece of their temple.