Thursday, April 12, 2007

Wat Suthatthepwararam Rajaworamahavihara :ROYAL WAT : First Class Bangkok

Wat Suthatthepwararam Rajaworamahavihara ( Wat Suthat ) is situated on Bamrung Muang Road, near the Giant Swing. King Rama I commissioned its construction in 1807 to enshrine the phra To, or Phra Sri Sakayamunee, image from Sukhothai.

Construction was begun in the First Reign and completed in the Third Reign. The murals depict scenes from the Tribhumi Khatha and are the work of craftsmen of Second and Third Reigns. The caving on the front door is said to be the work of King Rama II. The door is very thick panel of wood deeply carved in an intricate design of creeping plants and animals. The cloth draped over the lap of the Phra Sri Sakayamunee image is the repository of the ashes of King Rama VIII.

The Phra Ubosot was built in the Third Reign and is very large and long. There are murals depicting the story of Buddha and the Ramakien story of Ramayana. The presiding image is the Phra Buddha Trilokachet, which was cast on orders of King Rama III. Another interesting image is the Buddha Setthamunee, the presiding image in the sala karn prian, which King Rama III ordered to be cast in 1839 from the opium boxes that had been seized and were to be burnt. On the north wall there is a pavilion built for King Rama IV to watch the swing ceremony. The temple ground has a stone chedi in Chinese style and other artistic objects.

source: ecurriculum.mv.ac.th

Technorati tags :, , ,,

No comments: