Luang Prabang is a city in north central Laos, which consists of 58 adjacent villages. Out of those 58 villages, 33 are part of the UNESCO Town of Luang Prabang World Heritage Site. The villages were first listed in 1995 for their unique and remarkably well preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritage. Today, the villages consist of a unique rural and urban blend development.
The center of Luang Prabang consists of four main roads, which connect the different villages together, as well as offering a way to connect the city to the rest of Laos. In the past, the city was a capital of a kingdom that had the same name, although in some cases the empire has also been called Chiang Thong. The city was also home to the government of Laos until 1975.