The Patuxai, also known as the Victory Gate or Gate of Triumph, is a war monument in downtown Vientiane, Laos, constructed between 1957 and 1968. Initially called the Anousavary or Anosavari Monument, it was dedicated to Laotian soldiers who fought in World War II and the independence war against France in 1949. The French referred to it as the “Monument Aux Morts.” The name “Patuxai” comes from the Laotian words “Patuu” (door or gateway) and “Xai,” derived from the Sanskrit “Jaya,” meaning victory.