San Phra Kan
The crossing point between Si Sanphet Road and Pa Thone Road of the City Island is called “Talaengkaeng”, the busiest quarter in the city centre. From the old records written by a foreign visitor during that period, the area from the city entrance to the Talaengkaeng quarter was the most popular and most crowded neighbourhood. Groceries and the city markets that were opened from morning to evening included Talat Na Khouk and Talat Na San Phra Kan. In order to spread the word out quickly to as many people as possible, during the Ayutthaya period, this area would be used to execute a prisoner with the charge of coup d’état or overthrowing the kingdom by beheading so that no one would dare to rebel against the authority.
One of the important archaeological sites that still remains in this neighbourhood is San Phra Kan. San Phra Kan during the Ayutthaya period was probably the place where these city guardian deities were worshipped. According to ‘Tamnan Krung Kao’ Legend written by Phra ya Boran Ratchathanin mentioned in 1907 that “...The west side of the Talaengkaeng Road, there is a shrine named San Phra Kan with the prang style roof, and several shrines nearby for many angels to be housed; Phra Suea Mueang, Phra Song Mueang, and Phra Lak Mueang. The Talaengkaeng quarter must be considered as the centre of the city…”
From the excavation discovery by the archaeological division of Silpakorn University in 1969, this archaeological site was built around the early Ayutthaya period or 15th century. A Khmer prang with arches in the four cardinal directions was found as also the statues of Phra Isuan (Shiva), Phra Narai (Vishnu) and Phra Ganesh (Ganesha) with the dressing costumes influenced by Angkor Wat of Khmer art. These findings led to the conclusion that this site was a Brahmin shrine in former times. Later on, more restorations were conducted for Buddhist shrine. According to the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, during 998, King Prasat Thong had the shrine moved on up to be located at the Chikun area.
From the miscellaneous pottery and utensils found during excavations last century, this shrine was abandoned again before the second Burmese and Ayutthaya war or around the early Rattanakosin Era until the present.
San Phra Kan
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Located on the south side of San Lak Mueang, Tambon Pratu Chai
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