Wat Chaiwatthanaram 1630 Ayutthaya

Wat Chai Wattanaram Ayutthaya

• Wat Chaiwatthanaram (1630 A.D.) was built by King Prasatthong in 1630 A.D. as a royal monastery for himself and his descendants. This king was previously a commoner, in charge of military affairs. It is believed that he built this wat to legitimise his status. It was used for religious rites as well as a cremation site. This meant that it was kept restored throughout the following dynasties, until the Burmese invaded Ayutthaya in 1767 A.D. after which it fell into disrepair and became subject to looting. In 1987 The Thai Fine Arts Department began limited the restoration work.
• This is visually a very impressive wat consisting of the principal prang standing 35 metres high on an elevated terrace with four smaller prangs on each corner of the terrace.  There is a gallery or verandah marking off the area of the main prang. 
  
• Along the inner wall of the gallery there once stood 120 gilt lacquered Buddha images in the attitude of Victory over Mara, the Evil One. Today, they stand damaged and unadorned with gold.
  
• There are eight more prang in the gallery area which contain the remains of  twelve crowned Buddha images and on the outside walls, stucco decoration depicting scenes from the life of Buddha.
  
• The bot was located east of the main prang along the river and sat high on a terrace in line with the principal prang. Today there remains the base and some sandstone Buddha images, and surrounding it, the ruins of several chedi.
  

Wat Chai Wattanaram Ayutthaya