Wat Thammikarat
The temple was then called Wat Mukkharat. According to the Northern Chronicles, this was founded by Phraya Thammikkarat, a son of King Sai Nam Phueng before the Ayutthaya period. Built in the same period as Wat Phanan Choeng, Wat Thammikkarat would be the place for the holy monks at that time to graduate in Buddhist theology as the highest level of Buddhist dhamma and the king would visit the temple on Buddhist holy days to listen to the sermon.
Wat Thammikkarat has been related to many Ayutthayan kings including Prince Uthumphon of Ayutthaya and his royal page named Hong. Both entered the Buddhist priesthood at this temple in the late Ayutthaya period. Hong, the officer of a royal household, later went to war with Phraya Tak and was promoted to General Phraya Phet Phichai.
Upon entering the wiharn compound where the king and his courtiers listened to the sermon, today you will still find a giant bronze head dating back to the U-Thong period. The original is now located at the Chao Sam Phraya Museum.
The most prominent feature in this temple is a central pagoda surrounded by singh (the guardian lion) sculptures. It is a large bell-shaped chedi situated on the octagonal base with a staircase of multiple headed serpents, called naga, on each of the four sides as influenced by the popular Sukhothai art. This beautiful blend of the two periods shows the tight bond between Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. The square circumambulation base decorated with elaborate stucco lions built in the reign of King Prasat Thong.
Both naga and singh were influenced by the ancient Khmer art. Singh, the lion figure, was believed to protect the temple. The naga, the multi-headed serpent, at the railing is the analogy as the holy bridge linking the human world and heaven together.
Behind the singh chedi is located the main wiharn or a massive sermon hall with a total of nine rooms. Built during the reign of King Borommatrailokkanart, the large columns inside this wiharn are still intact. The front hall does not have any windows but has a passage for light to shine through which is the same architecture as the main wiharn of Wat Mongkhon Bophit and the ubosot of Wat Na Pra Men. This unique architecture represents the Ayutthayan art in the middle period.
Wat Thammikarat
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Located on the east side of the Ancient Royal Palace
U-Thong Road, Tambon Ta Wasukree
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