Wat Ton Chan

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Wat Ton Chan
(State: December 2013)

Wat Ton Chan ( Thai วัด ต้น จันทร์ , German: "Temple of the Sandalwood Tree") is the name of the ruins of a former Buddhist temple complex ( Wat ) in the south of the historic old town of Sukhothai in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sukhothai Historical Park in Thailand .

location

Chedi of Wat Ton Chan
(as of December 2013)

Wat Ton Chan is a bit remote from the main roads in the south of the old town of Sukhothai, a good kilometer as the crow flies outside of the southern city gate (“Pratu Namo”, “Namo Gate”). The closest temples are Wat Kon Laeng (a good 600 meters northwest), Wat Asokaram (almost 500 meters northeast), Wat Wihan Thong (a good 450 meters east-southeast) and Wat Phrangmen (about 600 meters north-northeast).

Description and dating

Seated Buddha sculpture in the Wihan
(status: December 2013)

The recent appearance consists of a main chedi , a meeting hall ( wihan ) and the bases of two subordinate chedis. The whole ensemble was surrounded by a ten-meter-wide trench.

The bell-shaped main chedi, constructed from bricks, rests on a three-tiered, square base made of laterite with a side length of 15 meters. On each side there is a vestibule integrated into the base. In these halls there were once seated statues of Buddha with the gesture of rejecting the demon Mara and his temptations.

The Wihan consists of a brick construction with octagonal and round laterite columns. It measures 20 by 40 meters and was surrounded on the side by circumferential porticos , also supported with laterite . At its western end is the ruin of a seated Buddha sculpture on a pedestal, the head of which is no longer there.

Due to the use of octagonal columns and the proportions of the Wihan, the temple complex can be dated to the late 14th century.

literature

Web links

Commons : Wat Ton Chan  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Wat Kon Laeng: 17 ° 0 ′ 25.65 ″  N , 99 ° 42 ′ 21.5 ″  E
  2. ↑ Wat Wiharn Thong: 17 ° 0 ′ 5.3 ″  N , 99 ° 42 ′ 50 ″  E
  3. ↑ Wat Phrangmen: 17 ° 0 '27.55 "  N , 99 ° 42' 46"  O
  4. ↑ Chedi: 17 ° 0 '10.77 "  N , 99 ° 42' 35"  E
  5. ↑ wihan: 17 ° 0 '11.05 "  N , 99 ° 42' 36.45"  O
  6. ↑ Buddha sculpture: 17 ° 0 '11'  N , 99 ° 42 '35.95 "  O

Coordinates: 17 ° 0 '11'  N , 99 ° 42 '35.95 "  O