Wat Phra Ram
Set in the centre of the historical park with its classic Ayutthayan style stupa, is the towering prang of Wat Phra Ram. The pagoda structure was made of brick and mortar without bonded plaster influenced by Khmer architecture (Ancient Angkor) from Lawo (Lop Buri). This structure was popular during the early Ayutthaya period.
A big lagoon “Bueng Phra Ram”, originally called “Nong Sano or Bueng Chi Khan”, is in front of this temple. According to the chronicles, this lagoon was found prior to the Ayutthaya Kingdom and King U-thong brought his people to station at the lagoon during the epidemic outbreak.
King Ramesuan ordered the construction of Wat Phra Ram in 1369 at his father’s (King U-thong) cremation site. King Ramesuan abdicated after a year while the construction was not yet completed. His successor King Borommaracha I carried on Wat Phra Ram’s construction work. The temple was restored a few times in the subsequent centuries, during the reign of King Borommatrailokanat, and later by King Borommakot.
The beauty of the architecture still remains after all these years. The principal prang of Wat Phra Ram was constructed of laterite at the base. The corn-shaped prang is modelled after the 3 smaller prangs in front of the square-shape assembly hall. The layout of the temple was set in line from east-west and with stucco reliefs of animals in the mythical Himavanta Forest. The interior structure consists of brick and mortar with mural paintings on both sides showing a Buddha image sitting in the subduing Mara posture on a throne. The main colours used in the early Ayutthayan art were red, indigo, yellow, and black. Nowadays, this mural art has much faded through time.
In 1958, the Fine Arts Department excavated the inside crypt of Wat Phra Ram during the restoration and found many precious items including golden Buddha statues, Buddhist votive tablets in the U-thong style, gold and crystal meditation beads, and other gold accessories.
Come visit the temple later in the afternoon and look for the Garuda and angel statues standing on the corners of the principal prang, which represents the Thai belief of the universe. Garuda images are typically present on prangs of the early Ayutthaya period. Another activity you might like is to find out all stucco reliefs showing different milestones of the Buddha’s life inside the niches of the corner chedis. If time allows, you can closely look at the stucco details on the gables to find the image of “Makara” and “Naga”, the symbolic creatures of oriental culture.
Wat Phra Ram
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Located to outside the Royal Grand Palace to the east, Tumbon Pratu Chai
Opposite to Viharn Phra Monkol Bopitr
Open every day from 08.00–18.00 o’clock
From 19.30 - 21.00 o’clock will be the light display on the archaeological sites
Thai admission fee 10 baht Foreign admission fee 50 baht
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