Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat (Lop Buri)

Central prang and mandapa of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat

Wihan Luang of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat

The Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat ( Thai วัด พระ ศรี รัตน มหาธาตุ ) is an abandoned Buddhist temple complex ( Wat ) in Lop Buri , central Thailand .

location

Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat is located directly opposite Lop Buri's main train station in the center of the old town, which is bordered by an oval moat to the west and the Lop Buri River to the east.

history

The exact founding date of Wat Mahathat is not known. The main prang in the Khmer style suggests that it was probably from the 11th-12th centuries. Century.

When King Narai the King Narai's Palace had moved just behind the temple as his residence, "he manifested his holy compassion by preaching halls, recitation halls, Great reliquaries, living areas and assembly halls, which expire or in ruins lay in the province of Lop Buri in their restore previous state ”. Here in Wat Mahathat he had a "Wihan with nine rooms" built, which shows the pointed arch windows typical of his architectural style. In addition, some chedis date from his time, such as the "chedi with the base supported by lion's feet".

After King Narai's death, Lop Buri was neglected and the temple was left to decay.

Smaller prang in the southwest of the complex

The attachment

The temple is located in a rectangle of about three  hectares (20 rai ). The central sanctuary is a Lop-Buri-style prang , the porch in front of the western entrance to the cella gives the building a characteristic silhouette. To the north and south there were probably two smaller prangs on the same platform, of which only the foundation walls are left.

The prang was surrounded by a gallery ( Phra Rabieng ) from which the foundation walls can hardly be seen. A Wihan was integrated into the gallery, which can be dated to the time of King Narai due to its pointed arch windows.

Between the gallery and the outer wall there are more prangs and some chedis , some of which could come from the Sukhothai period.

The plan of the temple was used as a model for Wat Phutthai Sawan in Ayutthaya : here as there there is a similarly structured prang, which is surrounded by a gallery. There is a Wihan in front of and behind it.

gallery

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  Smaller prang and chedi

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  Entrance to the Wihan Luang

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  Interior of the Wihan Luang

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  Stucco decoration on the central prang

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  Stucco decoration on the central prang

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  Stucco decoration on the central Prang: Makara , the Nagas spits

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  Stucco decoration on the central prang

swell

• Pisit Charoenwongsa, MC Subhadradis Diskul : Thailand . Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, Munich 1978, ISBN 3-453-35022-7 , ( Archaeologia Mundi 22).
• Brochure from the TAT ( Tourism Authority of Thailand ) about the province of Lop Buri , as well as TAT ​​tablets on the temple grounds.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Richard D. Cushman (David K. Wyatt Ed.): The Royal Chronicles Of Ayutthaya . The Siam Society, Bangkok 2000, ISBN 974-8298-48-5

Web links

Commons : Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 14 ° 47 ′ 55 ″  N , 100 ° 36 ′ 50 ″  E