Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon Ayutthaya Historical Park
It was our 3rd day in Thailand and we planned to do day trip from Bangkok to our next destination Ayutthaya Historical Park, a World Heritage Site. Ayutthaya is a city of medieval times with ruins but with a magnificent past. If you are there include Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon in your itinerary.
There are around twenty three sights that are listed in the must see list of Ayutthaya. We made a beeline for the important Ayutthaya temples. Due to lack of time I had to prioritize the places and focused on just eight of them. Very disappointing, if luck permits may be I will be able to make a trip there once more in this lifetime.
Vihara of Reclining Buddha
See another reclining Buddha at Wat Lokaya Sutharam.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is famous for having the largest Chedi (Buddhist stupa are called Chedi) in Ayutthaya, one of the reasons why it had a striking impact on my visual senses. This visit remains my most memorable Wat in Ayutthaya. Also known as The Great Monastery of Auspicious Victory, it has several interesting stories. Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon was earlier known by the names Wat Pa Kaeo, Wat Chao Phraya Thai and Wat Yai Chaiya Mongkhon.
Two princes of Ayutthaya, Chao Kaeo and Chao Thai, died of cholera in the year 1357. King Ramathibodhi I, the then ruling king (r. 1350 – 1369) ordered the bodies of both princes to be exhumed. At the cremation site, a monastery with a holy monument, the chedi (stupa) and a preaching hall (viharn) was established. The King named the monastery Wat Pa Kaeo or The Monastery of the Crystal Forest. More history here: Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Walk through Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon Ayutthaya
To the left of the entrance, is a huge reclining Buddha, seven meters long, covered in saffron robe. Wihan Phra Phuttha Saiyat or the Vihara of the Reclining Buddha was constructed during the reign of King Naresuan. In 1965 a new image was remodelled after the original got ruined by fortune hunters. The statue lies in a north-south position. Its head in southern direction and faces the east.
After paying respects there I moved on to the ruins and I was enthralled to see the idols of seated Buddha all around the Wat. So many of them, all along the square path in a row, in different sizes, all dressed in saffron robes!
The ordination hall in front of the huge chedi, measures about 16m by 14m houses one of the most sacred Buddha images of Ayutthaya. There were many smaller chedi around which we were told contain the ashes of the sponsors of the Wat.
Buddha in The ordination hall or ubosot.
Buddha images in a row
Brick steps lead you to a rectangular gallery which encircles the principal chedi. The gallery is enclosed by an outer wall. There are pillars inside, however only the foundations of the pillars can be seen. Along the inner wall of the gallery there are rows of Buddha images on decorated bases. These new ones are built over the older collapsed idols. The bases of these idols contain the ashes of sponsors of the Wat and other influential people.
City growing fast just outside the boundary.
Buddha images as seen from Chedi and below Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon.
Seated Buddha in the back of the hall facing West and flanked by Sariputta and Moggallana, the Buddha’s closest disciples.
Tour of Chedi of the Wat
A steep brick staircase leads to the bell-shaped principal chedi. It stands on an elevated square base with smaller chedi at the corners. There is a second octagonal pedestal above the base to accommodate the bell-shaped body. Stairs lead up on the east side towards the first terrace, and continue inwards the dome.
There are two huge seated Buddha statues on either side of the chedi. One can climb up the chedi on to an elevated base. Inside the chedi there is a chamber like space which must have housed the relics once. It was dark inside and I couldn’t capture good shots here. View of the Ayutthaya city from the elevated base is mesmerizing. A clear contrast is visible… Ayutthaya outside these walls of the ruins is fast turning in to an industrial base. I just hope this glorious piece of history doesn’t get lost in the chaos of the city.
Octagonal base of the chedi visible in this picture.
Two mondops stand in the front of main chedi, with their pyramidal upper structures collapsed, exposing the Buddha statues inside.
Tour along Chedi of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon sights.
Opening hours and tickets to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
The Wat is open 8am to 5pm. Tickets cost 20bahts.
Visit to other Wats of Aytthaya Historical Park
Pin this for later to plan your visit
Doesn’t Thailand have amazing temples, Indrani? One of my favorite places on earth.
True! I hope to get there again.
Beautiful place…good shots…remembered me the thai movie Ong back!… 🙂
indrani, thanks for introducing ayuthaya! seems the site is well kept and maintained. beautiful pictures.
very nice pics ….. thanx
Lovely pictures.
Hi Indrani!
Hope to see Ayutthaya one day. Your picturs are lovely!!
Old Town Bilbao is now at Blogtrotter for your joy. Have a great weekend!!
Very beautiful pictures of Buddha. Amazing place. I feel like visiting the place. Wonderful post with lovely description.
Wonderful post and lovely pictures too. You are right. Preservation is the key to keeping these treasures.
Beautiful pcitures…beautiful place.
Beautifully captured, both in photo and in words. I remember the feeling awe and piety i felt when walking along those lines of saffron draped Buddhas.
Thanks.Could geta glimpse of the great treasures of art and architecture.
I've been there last 1998 or 1999… very nice place indeed!
thanks for visiting my blog!
What amazing pictures! You are lucky indeed to have visited it! The whole complex looks so clean and well-maintained.
Always I love the serenity in Buddhist Monuments… Loved the reclining Buddha…
As always, well detailed travelogue with awesome photos Indrani. Thanks for those relevant links as well to know the place better. I will certainly plan effectively considering all the points you have mentioned.
Looking for more!!!
It is a wonderful place and thanks to your post and photos.
woow…this tour really left me speechless.
This was a nice visite 🙂 Lovely shots and of course interesting.
I like Thailand very much.
Lovely post. We did not do our homework well before our trip to Bangkok ( it was a rushed tour) and I could have kicked myself when I realised later that Ayuthya was just some 60 km from Bangkok. And seeped in history.
Indrani, thank you for this great post about Ayuthaya. What beautiful shots of the ancient structures and buddhas in their saffron robes…so colorful!
Awesome post. Interesting information and beautiful shots.
What an awesome place! Great pictures of the seated buddhas – especially the one in profile.
What an amazing place and a thoughtful post. I hope this historical site doesn't get lost in the city chaos too. I always love seeing what you photograph and post about. You always bring it to life.
When I was in Bangkok, I saw these rows of Buddhas too, and an enormous golden reclining Buddha. Very beautiful and colourful.Thanks for sharing your photos! Have a great day!
Indrani, really appreciate your views of this historical site.
You've really captured the feel of the wats.. Lovely!
Your photos brought us to a land full of history and culture. Love those small Buddhas lined up. I wish I could visit Thailand in the near future.
what a beautiful place!!! we should learn something from them about conservation of heritage monuments… we have so many here, but they are in such bad shape, it is such a pity!!!
How beautiful. Always inconvenient to be rushed for time, but you got your photos. Love the statues dressed in yellow/orange.
what a wonderful place to visit..
Heard a lot about this place earlier. It is nice to see this place through your wonderful snaps.
Very, very nice. The lined up Buddhas remind me of our own temples – the 63 saints in Sri Kapali Temple in Madrqs. And the images of Nandi on the walls of the Thyagaraja Temle in Thiruvaroor.
Marvelous, interesting post as always, Indrani! And, as always, your photos are breathtaking! What a great tour!
Enjoy your week!
Sylvia
Indrani,
Marvelous post and photos. I've only read about Wat and am amazed by it. Thanks!
Amazing post… amazing pics.. I havent been to thailand.. so have saved this one to come back to at a later date (soon!! I hope!)
It would be a shame to lose this beautiful piece of history. Thank you for sharing it. Keep on traveling so we can keep on enjoying these wonderful photos.
Beautiful Post Indrani, and the information adds to it… thanks for sharing
Beautiful post Indrani,
you let us see buddha's
in all various sizes.
I enjoy, I love buddha's
I have at home many in and outside my house (only little ones … 😉
Funny they have all a orange scarf or coat on …. LOL
It makes it colorful 🙂
What an amazing place.
Sydney – City and Suburbs
Amazing architecture and sculpture.