Wat Tra Kuan
Only the ruins of the Buddhist temple complex Wat Tra Kuan ( Thai : วัด ตระกวน ) remain. It is located in Sukhothai Province Sukhothai in the northern region of Thailand .
etymology
The original name of the temple is not known for sure. According to a theory of the former Thai King Vajiravudh (Rama VI.) Is Tra Kuan a Khmer -expression for a plant in Thai Phak Bung ( ผักบุ้ง , in English as is) Morning Glory and the Germans as morning glory is known, a nightshade, which is used as a medicinal plant in traditional Asian medicine. Other suggestions for the name of the temple were “Wat Ta Khuan” ( วัด ตา ควร , temple of grandfathers Khuan ) or “Wat Takon” ( วัด ตะกรน , sediment temple ).
location
Wat Tra Kuan is located north of Wat Mahathat in the historic old town (Mueang Kao - เมือง เก่า ) of Sukhothai and directly northwest in front of the monument to King Ramkhamhaeng .
Building history
Wat Tra Kuan was founded in the time of the Sukhothai Kingdom , and was probably completed at the beginning of the 15th century. In the " Wat Sorasak stone inscription" (also called Inscription no. 49 ) the temple was mentioned in 1417 when a monk ( bhikkhu ) from the north stayed here while he was visiting his nephew.
Attractions
The following attractions are located in the area of Wat Tra Kuan:
- A majestic “Sinhalese” or “Sukhothai” style chedi stands to the west of the site. Its square base consists of three tapering layers.
- To the east of this are the ruins of an ordination hall ( ubosot ) with a small terrace, six rows of columns and a staircase on the eastern side. This deviates from the standard layout of a Sukhothai temple, because there is usually a meeting hall ( Wihan ) at this point . Simple boundary stones ( Bai Sema ) and the foundations of several smaller chedis are arranged around the ordination hall.
- During excavation work in the 1960s, a bronze Buddha statue was found on the site . It is now in the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum . Its appearance resembles a statue in the "Chiang Saen style" which is believed to have been made before the time of the Sukhothai Kingdom. Since this statue was found in Wat Tra Kuan, other similar statues were given the name “Wat Tra Kuan style”.
literature
- Betty Gosling: Sukhothai Its History, Culture, And Art . Asia Books (Oxford University Press), Bangkok 1991, ISBN 974-8206-85-8
- AB Griswold : Towards A History Of Sukhothai Art . The Fine Arts Department, Bangkok 1967 (without ISBN)
- Dawn F. Rooney: Ancient Sukhothai, Thailand's Cultural Heritage . River Books, Bangkok 2008, ISBN 978-974-9863-42-8
- Hiram W. Woodward Jr .: Guide to Old Sukhothai . The Fine Arts Department, Bangkok 1972 (without ISBN)
Individual evidence
Web links
Coordinates: 17 ° 1 ′ 14.5 ″ N , 99 ° 42 ′ 14.5 ″ E