Which mythical figures decorate it?

Kinnari, half woman and half bird

Where did much of its cement come from?

Aid meant for an airport runway

What can visitors do at Patuxai?

Climb to the top for city views

Patuxai Quiz: Vientiane's Victory Gate and Its Concrete

This Patuxai quiz climbs the Victory Gate in the capital of Laos. Play an interactive set of 10 questions on its building from 1957, the fight for independence from France, its likeness to the Arc de Triomphe, Lao mythical figures in its decoration, cement donated for a runway, the vertical runway nickname, an honest plaque calling it a monster of concrete and the view from the top.

Start Patuxai Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

City
Which city is Patuxai in?
Name
What does Patuxai mean?
Honors
Whom does it honor?
Start
When did construction begin?
Model
Which Paris monument does it resemble?
Figures
Which mythical figures decorate it?
Cement
Where did much of its cement come from?
Nickname
What nickname does this story give Patuxai?
Plaque
What does a sign on the monument candidly call it?
Top
What can visitors do at Patuxai?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which city is Patuxai in?
Answer: Vientiane
It is the capital of Laos.
Q2: What does Patuxai mean?
Answer: Victory Gate
It is a war memorial.
Q3: Whom does it honor?
Answer: Those who fought for independence from France
Laos was a French protectorate.
Q4: When did construction begin?
Answer: 1957
It was never fully finished.
Q5: Which Paris monument does it resemble?
Answer: Arc de Triomphe
But its details are Lao.
Q6: Which mythical figures decorate it?
Answer: Kinnari, half woman and half bird
They come from Buddhist and Hindu lore.
Q7: Where did much of its cement come from?
Answer: Aid meant for an airport runway
It was reportedly diverted.
Q8: What nickname does this story give Patuxai?
Answer: The vertical runway
It is a local joke.
Q9: What does a sign on the monument candidly call it?
Answer: A monster of concrete
The honesty surprises visitors.
Q10: What can visitors do at Patuxai?
Answer: Climb to the top for city views
Souvenir stalls fill inner floors.

The Victory Gate Nicknamed a Vertical Runway

Patuxai, meaning Victory Gate, stands at the end of a broad avenue in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. It honors those who fought for independence from France. Construction began in 1957, and the monument was never fully finished.

Patuxai looks like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but its decoration is Lao, featuring kinnari, mythical half-woman, half-bird figures from Buddhist and Hindu lore. A popular story says it was built with cement donated for a new airport runway, earning it the nickname the vertical runway.

A sign on the monument candidly admits that, up close, it looks like a monster of concrete, which amuses many visitors. Inside, stairs lead past souvenir stalls to the top, where views stretch over the city. A park and fountain surround the monument.

What This Quiz Teaches

History fans will enjoy these questions.

What Patuxai honors
When it was built
Which monument it resembles
Which stories surround it
What visitors can do

Did You Know?

Pha That Luang, a golden stupa, is a national symbol nearby.
Vientiane sits on the Mekong across from Thailand.
Evening crowds gather in the park.
Lao national holidays are celebrated nearby.
Baguettes are common in Vientiane due to French influence.