According to the city annals, Wat Manorom was originally founded in 1372 by King Samsenthai (1373-1417) on the site of a smaller temple established by his father, King Fa Ngum. Between 1502 and 1513 it housed the pha bang, the gold Buddha image which was the religious symbol of the kingdom. Today it still contains Laos' largest and oldest bronze Buddha image, a six metre-high bronze sitting Buddha believed to have been cast by Khmer artisans in 1372, which sustained damaged during a battle between French and Thai armies in 1887; the statue was re-erected in 1919 and subsequently restored in 1971, when the missing arms and legs were repaired in cement, lacquered and coated with gold leaf. The present sim is an example of Luang Prabang Style II architecture and was extensively rebuilt in 1972. The remains of Wat Xieng Kang, another temple established during the 14th century, lie immediately behind it.