Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park

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Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns
UNESCO world heritage UNESCO World Heritage Emblem
Wat Phra Keaw in Kamphaeng Phet.jpg
Buddha statues at Wat Phra Kaeo
National territory: ThailandThailand Thailand
Type: Culture
Criteria : i, iii
Reference No .: 574
UNESCO region : Asia and Pacific
History of enrollment
Enrollment: 1991  (session 15)
Buddha statue, Wat Singh

The Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park ( Thai : อุทยาน ประวัติศาสตร์ กำแพงเพชร , IPA: [ ʔùtʰájaːn pràwàttìsàːt kampʰɛːŋ PET ]) includes the ruins of the ancient frontier town of Kamphaeng Phet (Diamond Wall) , which at the time of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya as a city ( Müang ) Cha Kang Rao (Thai เมือง ชา กัง ราว ) was known. Kamphaeng Phet was next to the capital Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai one of the three large cities of the Sukhothai kingdom , which had its heyday in the 13th to 15th centuries.

On December 12, 1991, the park, along with similar parks in Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai, was declared part of the UNESCO World Heritage List .

location

The Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park is located on the western edge of the modern city of Kamphaeng Phet, which is also the capital of the Kamphaeng Phet Province .

The Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park consists of three closely spaced areas: the city of Nakhon Chum (Thai เมือง นคร ชุม ) on the western bank of the Mae Nam Ping (Ping River) , the city of Kamphaeng Phet on the eastern bank of the Ping and surrounded by a trapezoidal fortification an area northwest of it on a hill, which is called Aranyik (Thai เขต อรัญญิก ).

The Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park

Areas of the historical park

Mueang Nakhon Chum

This city on the western bank of the Ping is even older than Kamphaeng Phet itself, but it had a similar rectangular fortification of palisades and moats about 2900 × 400 meters in size. Today only a few short trenches can be seen.

Attractions:

  • the Thung Setthi Fort ( ป้อม ทุ่ง เศรษฐี , Pom Thung Setthi ) - the ruins of this fort are located on the southwest corner of the area, which, however, dates from the Ayutthaya period. The 6 meter high walls made of laterite blocks encompass a square area 83 meters wide.
  • Wat Phra Borommathat ( วัด พระบรม ธาตุ ) - A feature of this temple is the large chedi built in Burmese ( Mon ) style . Originally built in the Sukhothai style, the chedi was restored in 1870 by a wealthy timber merchant, but the work could not be completed until 1907.
  • Wat Chedi Klang Thung ( วัด เจดีย์ กลาง ทุ่ง )

Inside the fortification

The fortress walls gave the city (literally the Diamond Wall ) its name. They have a trapezoid shape, are 300–500 meters wide and 2200 meters long. They were surrounded by a moat about 25 meters wide. The approximately 5 meter high walls made of laterite blocks have been partially preserved; in the west there are two forts, Phom Chao Indra and Phom Phet. The fortification was connected to the outside world by a total of 10 gates secured by forts. In addition to the restored temples, the foundations of numerous other temples have been preserved within the walls.

Attractions:

Standing Buddha statue in Wat Phra Si Iriyabot

Khet Aranyik

This area is northwest of the fortified city. This is a hill with a light forest ( Aran - อรัญ ญ์ ). A group of Buddhist monks of that time, the forest monks ( Aranyawasi - คณะ อรัญ ญ วาสี - in contrast to the group of city monks Kamawasi - คณะ คามวาสี ) preferred quiet forest areas according to the Ceylonese tradition, in order to be able to pursue their meditation undisturbed. They were the models of the later Thai forest tradition . The remains of around 40 temples can be seen scattered across the hill.

  • Attractions:
    • Wat Phra Non ( วัด พระ นอน ) (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) - the sanctuary, surrounded by a laterite wall and laid out in an east-west direction, consists of a Ceylon-style chedi, to the west of which there is a mondop with the remains of a reclining Buddha. Statue. The roof of the building was supported by 6.4 meter high laterite columns, each made from one piece. Of the viharn adjoining it in the west , only the foundation walls can be seen.
    • Wat Phra Si Iriyabot ( วัด พระ สี่ อิริยาบถ ) - impressive ruin of a Mondop , a square building 29 meters wide, with four Buddha statues in four different postures: standing, striding, resting and sitting. Only the 9 meter high statue of the standing Buddha is almost completely preserved.
    • Wat Singh ( วัดสิงห์ ) (Lion Temple) - the ruins of an Ubosot are surrounded by laterite walls. The remains of stucco lions and nagas can be seen on the foundation .
    • Wat Chang Rop ( วัด ช้าง รอบ ) - Temple surrounded by elephants
    • Wat Awat Yai ( วัด อาวาส ใหญ่ ) - Great Temple

literature

  • Clarence Aasen: Architecture of Siam . Oxford University Press 1998, ISBN 983-56-0027-9
  • Elizabeth Moore et al. a .: Ancient Capitals of Thailand . River Books, Bangkok 1996, ISBN 0-500-97429-2

Web links

Commons : Kamphaeng Phet historical park  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park  - Travel Guide

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Moore: Ancient Capitals , p. 189
  2. ↑ HRH Prince Damrong Rajanubhab : A History Of Buddhist Monuments In Siam . Bangkok 1929, translated into English by Sulak Sivaraksa , The Siam Society , Bangkok 1962, oh. ISBN

Coordinates: 16 ° 29 ′ 2 ″  N , 99 ° 31 ′ 27 ″  E