Phra That Si Song Rak (Thai: พระธาตุศรีสองรัก, literally means the Stupa in Honour of Two Loves;(Lao: ພຣະທາດສຼີສອງຮັກ)Phra That Sri Song Hak in Lao, and varied other spellings) is a Buddhist stupa built in c. 1560 by King SetthathirathofLan Xang and King Maha ChakkraphatofAyutthaya. It is located on the Man RiverinDan Sai district, Loei province of modern-day Thailand, 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the modern Thailand-Laos border. The name means "Stupa of Love from the Two Nations".
The ancient kingdoms of Lan Xang and Ayutthaya enjoyed a strong amount of common bond, and faced a common enemy: (the Burmese). In c. 1556, King SetthathirathofLan Xang and King Maha ChakkraphatofAyutthaya, decided to build a great temple celebrating a pact of mutual respect and defense between the two kingdoms. Phra That Sri Songrak was built on the border.
A stone inscription at the stupa reads:
When the French annexed Dan Sai district as part of colonial Laos, the inscription was taken to Vientiane. At some point it was shattered into fragments, and the remnants are maintained at Haw Phra Kaew Museum. A replica of the tablet now exists at Phra That Si Song Rak.
The stupa is roughly 20 meters (66 feet) tall and 9 m (30 ft) wide at the base on each side.
Locals have held an annual offertory ritual and celebration at That Sri Songrak every May 15 for centuries. The celebration is a major Loei attraction.
Loei province uses the image of the stupa's tower in its provincial seal.
17°16′12″N 101°08′27″E / 17.2700°N 101.1407°E / 17.2700; 101.1407
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