At one time, Luang Prabang was the capital of the first kingdom of Laos, and was named Xieng Dong Xieng Thong, or the City of Gold for its splendor. Several centuries later, the capital was moved to Vientiane, and the kingdom was split by infighting, weakness, and foreign invasions. Faced with instability and uncertainty, the rulers of Luang Prabang accepted help from French, who in turn absorbed the city into their fledgling colony, and left their mark in the form of colonial buildings and structures. After Laos was opened to tourism in 1989, the city experienced a spate of restoration and renovation; in addition, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.