|
Lop Buri Travel Guide :
Wat Phra Si Maha That
| Lop Buri was earlier known as Lawo and it was once upon a time an important town for the Khmers, who ruled the area from 10th century until the 13th. Even today, you can find many Khmer ruins in the area. However, it was during the Ayutthaya period when Lop Buri really came to the forefront with its architecture. |
|
King Narai, the Great, made Lop Buri into a second capital by getting French architects to design buildings. This goes a long way in explaining the blend and successful fusion of Thai and Western style architecture around the ancient buildings of Lop Buri.
Lop Buri is situated some 153 kilometers north of Bangkok and covers an area of 6,199 square kilometers. Tourists discovered Lop Buri quite recently and now they flock there to gain insights into the history of Thailand.
A place not to be missed in Lop Buri is Wat Phra Si Maha That. This temple is conveniently located in front of Lop Buri Railway Station. There is no historical evidence to show when the temple was constructed.
When you enter the temple compound, the first thing you will see is the pavilion, Sala Plueang Khrueang. This was place where the king used to change his attire before attending a religious ceremony being conducted in the temple. Although there is not much left of the pavilion, you can still see the reclining columns.
Next to the pavilion is the wihan, known as Wihan Luang, with its rectangular entrance constructed in Thai style. However, the windows of the wihan are in French Gothic architecture. Inside the wihan is a magnificent Buddha image resting on a base known as Chukkachi. The wihan was constructed by King Narai, the Great. South of the wihan is a small ubosot which has French styled windows; on the west is a prang (pagoda), which is constructed from laterite and cement, and decorated with images of Buddha. This prang is the largest in Lop Buri. An arched gate leads to the prang, which is of Khmer style.
In addition, the temple has a number of small prangs on the northwestern side with angel faces. The construction of these prangs were influenced by Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods. The angel faces are oblong with connected eyebrows and halo around a triangular headdress. This is considered quite unique in Thailand, as it is hardly seen anywhere else.
|
