Wat Sri Sawai
The Wat Sri Sawai ( Thai วัด ศรี สวาย ) is a Buddhist temple complex ( Wat ) in the Sukhothai Historical Park in the Sukhothai Province . The later King Vajiravudh (Rama VI.) Found a Hindu figure of Shiva (Sayomphu) here on his travels as Crown Prince in 1907 .
location
Wat Sri Sawai is about 300 meters southwest of the main temple Wat Mahathat .
Building history
Wat Sri Sawai was founded in the late 12th or early 13th century. The construction remained unfinished and was not resumed until the 15th century .
Wat Sri Sawai has three very well-preserved prang (also: Prasat tower ), which were initially made in laterite construction and are enclosed by a double wall and a moat. The lower parts are apparently from the Khmer , while the upper parts have been extended or renovated by Thai builders in brick and stucco . The middle prang is in the Lopburi or Hindu style.
Each prasat contains a cella and a pedestal that served as a pedestal for a Hindu sanctuary, possibly a linga . There are crypts under the Prasats , to which stairs lead down. Only a few of the stucco work on the roofs of the towers and the porch of the large central tower have survived today.
Later, a bot was added to the vestibule of the central annex , which stood within the rectangular wall. A very attractively crafted gate separated it from an external vihan .
Attractions
Wat Sri Sawai is unusual in that it is a formerly Brahmin sanctuary. It was later adapted to the needs of the Buddhist faith.
Detailed shots of the Prang
Detail at the prang: Kala ( Rahu ) above Buddha statue
literature
- Clarence Aasen: Architecture of Siam: A Cultural History and Interpretation . Oxford: Oxford University Press 1998. ISBN 983-56-0027-9 .
Web links
- Temple in Sukhothai Historical Park (in Thai)
- Impressive 360 ° view of the temple (in English)
Coordinates: 17 ° 0 ′ 50 " N , 99 ° 42 ′ 8.4" E