Wat Chaiwatthanaram Temple in 2010, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram lies on the west bank of Chao Phraya River, south west of the old city of Ayutthaya. It is a large compound and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It can be reached by road or by boat. The temple was constructed in 1630 by the king Prasat Thong as the first temple of his reign, as a memorial of his mother's resident in that area. The temple's name literally means the Temple of long reign and glorious era. It was designed in Khmer style which was popular in that time.
It has a central 35 metre high prang in Khmer style with four smaller prangs. The whole construction stands on a rectangular platform. About halfway up there are hidden entrances, to which steep stairs lead.The central platform is surrounded by eight Chedi shaped chapels ( Thai : Meru Thit Meru Rai ), which are connected by a rectangular cross shaped passage ( Phra Rabieng ). The passage had numerous side entries and was originally roofed and open inwards, but today only the foundations of the pillars and the outside wall still stand. Along the wall, there were 120 sitting Buddha statues, probably painted in black and gold.
The eight Chedi like chapels are formed in a unique way. They had paintings on the interior walls, the exterior ones decorated by 12 relief's depicting scenes from the life of Buddha ( Jataka ), which must be read clockwise. Just fragments of the paintings and the relief's survived. In each of the rectangular Chedi’s were two sitting Buddha statues and in each of the four middle Chedi’s was one big sitting Buddha statue, also lacquered in black and gold. The ceiling over those statues was of wood with golden stars on black lacquer.
Outside the passages on the east, close to the river was the temple's ordination hall ( Phra Ubosot ). North and south from the Ubusot stood two Chedi’s with 12 indented corners, in which the ashes of the king's mother were laid.
After the total destruction of the old capital by the Burmese in 1767, from which Wat Chai Watthanaram was not spared, the temple was deserted. Theft, sale of bricks from the ruins and the beheading of the Buddha statues were common. Only in 1987 did the Thai Department of Fine Arts start restoring the site. In 1992 it was opened to the public. Wat Chaiwatthanaram was a royal temple where the king and his successors performed religious ceremonies. Princes and princess were cremated here, including King Boromakot's son Chaofa Thammathibet
The Wat Chaiwatthanaram structure reflects the Buddhist world view, as it is described already in the Traiphum Phra Ruang, the three worlds of the King Ruang, of the 14th century: The big Prang Prathan that stands in the centre symbolizes the mountain Meru which consists the central axis of the traditional world Around it lie the four continents ( the four small Prangs ) that swim in the four directions in the world sea On one of the continents, the Chomphutawip , the humans live. The rectangular passage is the outer border of the world, the Iron Mountains.
This temple is worth the price. One warning though: Take heed before climbing the staircase leading to the central Khmer-style prang. Many tourists find it frighteningly steep when descending back down. The steps can be narrow and dangerous, and there is not much inside the 35 meter high tower that is worth the effort. Thai tourists should take special note that Queen Sirikit had the Tumnak Siriyalai Palace build directly across the river from Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Admission to the temple is 20 Baht and opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00.
How to get there: You can reach the temple’s ruins by bicycle if you have hired one, and a Tuk Tuk fare will be in the 30 Baht range from the town centre. Long tail boat services are available from Chankasem Palace at around 350 Baht for the full one hour round trip.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram Temple in 2010, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram lies on the west bank of Chao Phraya River, south west of the old city of Ayutthaya. It is a large compound and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It can be reached by road or by boat. The temple was constructed in 1630 by the king Prasat Thong as the first temple of his reign, as a memorial of his mother's resident in that area. The temple's name literally means the Temple of long reign and glorious era. It was designed in Khmer style which was popular in that time.
It has a central 35 metre high prang in Khmer style with four smaller prangs. The whole construction stands on a rectangular platform. About halfway up there are hidden entrances, to which steep stairs lead.The central platform is surrounded by eight Chedi shaped chapels ( Thai : Meru Thit Meru Rai ), which are connected by a rectangular cross shaped passage ( Phra Rabieng ). The passage had numerous side entries and was originally roofed and open inwards, but today only the foundations of the pillars and the outside wall still stand. Along the wall, there were 120 sitting Buddha statues, probably painted in black and gold.
The eight Chedi like chapels are formed in a unique way. They had paintings on the interior walls, the exterior ones decorated by 12 relief's depicting scenes from the life of Buddha ( Jataka ), which must be read clockwise. Just fragments of the paintings and the relief's survived. In each of the rectangular Chedi’s were two sitting Buddha statues and in each of the four middle Chedi’s was one big sitting Buddha statue, also lacquered in black and gold. The ceiling over those statues was of wood with golden stars on black lacquer.
Outside the passages on the east, close to the river was the temple's ordination hall ( Phra Ubosot ). North and south from the Ubusot stood two Chedi’s with 12 indented corners, in which the ashes of the king's mother were laid.
After the total destruction of the old capital by the Burmese in 1767, from which Wat Chai Watthanaram was not spared, the temple was deserted. Theft, sale of bricks from the ruins and the beheading of the Buddha statues were common. Only in 1987 did the Thai Department of Fine Arts start restoring the site. In 1992 it was opened to the public. Wat Chaiwatthanaram was a royal temple where the king and his successors performed religious ceremonies. Princes and princess were cremated here, including King Boromakot's son Chaofa Thammathibet
The Wat Chaiwatthanaram structure reflects the Buddhist world view, as it is described already in the Traiphum Phra Ruang, the three worlds of the King Ruang, of the 14th century: The big Prang Prathan that stands in the centre symbolizes the mountain Meru which consists the central axis of the traditional world Around it lie the four continents ( the four small Prangs ) that swim in the four directions in the world sea On one of the continents, the Chomphutawip , the humans live. The rectangular passage is the outer border of the world, the Iron Mountains.
This temple is worth the price. One warning though: Take heed before climbing the staircase leading to the central Khmer-style prang. Many tourists find it frighteningly steep when descending back down. The steps can be narrow and dangerous, and there is not much inside the 35 meter high tower that is worth the effort. Thai tourists should take special note that Queen Sirikit had the Tumnak Siriyalai Palace build directly across the river from Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Admission to the temple is 20 Baht and opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00.
How to get there: You can reach the temple’s ruins by bicycle if you have hired one, and a Tuk Tuk fare will be in the 30 Baht range from the town centre. Long tail boat services are available from Chankasem Palace at around 350 Baht for the full one hour round trip.