Friday 14 August 2015

Wat Chai Watthanaram (Ayutthaya)





"Wat Chaiwatthanaram is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand, on the 

west bank of the Chao Phraya River, outside Ayutthaya island. It is one of Ayutthaya's best known 

temples and a major tourist attraction." - Wikipedia 




This temple was built in 1630 by King Prasat Thong commemorate his mother’s hometown and to celebrate his own coronation. The Wat was built with a Khmer architectural influence so as to commemorate the Thai victory over the Khmer.


Important edifices are the main Prang (พระปรางด์ประธาน).


The main Prang is surrounded by another eight smaller Prangs (เมรุทิศ เมรุราย - Meru Thit Meru Rai).


It is believed that the main Prang contains relics of the Lord Buddha and other idols - at the North and South end from the Ubusot there are two Chedis with 12 intended corners (เจดีย์อมุมสิบสอง) in which the ashes of the King's mother were laid.


For this I would believe that it would be fabulous with some overhead shots with a drone - Richard?  


It is believed that there were 120 sitting Buddha statues around the outside - it is clear that there were a number but...



However the Burmese totally destroyed the Wat in 1767 - and this is totally clear on visiting - the beheading of the statues was common.


Only in 1987 did the Thai Department of Fine Art begin to restore the site - in 1992 it was  opened in 1992 to the General Public. Here is a site devoted to information about the ruins of Ayutthaya.

The cost of entrance is 50 Baht for a tourist and is free for the Thai people.

It is open at 8:00 and closes at 17:30.

 










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