Thailand 2020

After nearly 4 hours of driving we arrived in Ayutthaya where the agenda is to visit 3 Wats.

Ayutthaya is an ancient city and was once the second capital of Siam after Sukhothai and one of the most powerful in Asia. It had more than 1 million residents by AD1700 and enjoyed great riches, due to trading, with lavish palaces and temples.

The first Wat we explored was Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon “the Monastery of Auspicious Victory” . The temple was founded in the second half of the 14th century during the reign of King U Thong, first ruler of Ayutthaya.

The monastery got its present name after construction of the Chedi Chai Mongkhon in the late 16th century.

During the Burmese invasion of 1767 the temple was largely destroyed.

In 1592 the battle of Nong Sarai took place, one of many battles between Ayutthaya and the Burmese. During the battle Ayutthaya King Naresuan moved forward and attacked the Burmese Crown Prince Minchit Sra in one to one combat on war elephants.

King Naresuan killed the Burmese Prince with his sword, after which the Burmese army retreated. On return to Ayutthaya the King ordered the Chedi Chai Mongkhon built to commemorate the victory over the Burmese.

The second Wat is called Wat Phanan Choeng.

Wat Phanan Choeng is famous for its enormous seated Buddha image, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the country. According to legend tears shed from the eyes of the image just before the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767.

The temple’s main attraction is its 19 metre high Buddha. The brick and mortar image named Phra Chao Phanan Choeng is seated in the posture of subduing Mara, otherwise known as Calling the Earth to witness.

The image was built in 1324, several decades before Ayutthaya was founded. After its completion the image stood outside, as the viharn had not been built yet.

Today the Phra Chao Phanan Choeng is enshrined in a Viharn (which is a large assembly hall), the Viharn Phra Phanan Choeng and its walls are lined with hundreds of niches containing small images of the Buddha.

Third Wat was called Wat Phra Mahathat.

Wat Mahathat, “the temple of the Great Relic” was one of the most important temples in the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Located on the historical island the large monastery features a huge central prang (spire), a very large principal viharn (assembly hall) an ubosot (hall) and a great number of subsidiary chedis (Stupas/tombs)) and viharns. The upper part of its once massive central prang has collapsed. Today only the base remains.

The temple was constructed in 1374 by King Boromma Rachathirat I. A large prang was built to enshrine Buddha relics. The prang collapsed in the early 17th century, after which it was restored and enlarged. A large number of viharns and chedis have been added during the reign of later Kings.

When the Burmese invaded and largely destroyed Ayutthaya in 1767, the Wat Mahathat was set on fire. The central prang collapsed again in the early 20th century and has not been restore. This Wat had one of the heads of a Bhudda entwined in the roots of a Banyan tree.Läs mer