In 307 BC a small stupa was built and itnow finds itself within the big stupa that was built much later. The big stupa was built in 1566 during the Say Setha Thirad Period (1560-1572). Its height is 45 Meter and the width 69 meter. There are two periods in the process of the construction of Phra That Luang. The first period: the construction in 307 BC. It was Phraya Chanthabury Pasithisak the founder and first ruler of Vientiane, who led the work together with five Arahata monks. These were Lao monks, who had completed their studies in Rajgir, India. On returning home, they brought with them a holy relic of Lord Buddha, a bosom bone. After their arrival, they persuaded Phraya Chanthabury Pasi-thisak and the people of Vientiane to build a stupa to enshrine that relic for those who wished to pray and worship. The second period: construction works were undertaken by King Xayasethathirath, who was formerly the ruler of Chiang Mai and then of Xiengthong (later Luang Prabang). He later moved out to establish his Capital City Vientiane in 1560. Thereafter, under Sethathirath’s patronage, the people throughout the country, particularly the Vientiane people, and the king himself built a Great Stupa encompassing the small stupa previously built by Phraya Chantabury Pasithisak. The construction was started in 1566. After its construction, the stupa was named “Lokachulamani”, but the people referred to it as “Phrathat”, meaning Big Stupa. The stupa has been damaged by invading troops several times, but it was always repaired and reconstructed. The last repairs were done in 1976 by the Laos Government: a new bronze spire was put on the summit, old plaster was removed and replaced by new and the main and smaller stupas were repainted with gold paint.