Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya
Aerial view of Wat Ratchaburana at Ayutthaya. Image © Google Earth.
View of a temple building from the prang. Photo by Magalie L'Abbé.
Beautiful detail of a restored chedi. Photo by Neil Banas.
In the crypt. Photos by Maciej Radoszewski and Neil Banas.
Pieces of broken sculpture. Photo by Magalie L'Abbé.
Opposite Wat Mahathat in Ayutthaya stands Wat Ratchaburana, built in 1424 and splendidly restored. The towers (both rounded Khmer-style prangs and Sukhothai-style pointed chedis) have even retained some of their original stucco.
In the two crypts, excavators in 1958 found bronze Buddha images and votive tablets, as well as golden objects and jewelry, many of which are displayed in the Chao Sam Phraya Museum.
There are also murals, rows of seated Buddhas, standing disciples, and Jataka (tales from the Buddha's former lives) scenes in the four niches, as well as a frieze of heavenly beings and some Chinese scenes.
You can climb inside the prang for nice views and a little exhibit. The mysterious staircase down, leads to two unrestored rooms with original paintings still visible on the walls.
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Wat Ratchaburana. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Ayutthaya Map or get our free Google Earth download.
- Frommer's Thailand, 6th edition.
- Wikitravel (accessed Feb. 2006)
More Information
- Historic City of Ayuttaya - UNESCO World Heritage
- Ayuttaya Tourism Guide - TripAdvisor
- Tri Amatayakul, The official guide to Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-in (Polyglott travel guide)
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- Derick Garnier, Ayutthaya.
