Wat Muang contains Thailand's Biggest Buddha
The golden Buddha statue at the Wat Muang Monastery is the tallest in Thailand, and the ninth-tallest in the world.
It is said that those who touch the Big Buddha’s right hand are blessed with luck.
Known formally as Mahaminh Sakayamunee Visejchaicharn, informally as Phra Buddha Maha Nawamin, and simply as the Big Buddha, Wat Muang’s Buddha stands at an eye-watering 92 meters tall and 63 meters wide. Completed in 2008, the enormous statue towers above the surrounding, sparsely populated farmland.
As the original Wat Muang was destroyed during the ransacking of the former Thai capital Ayutthaya by the Burmese in the 18th century, the temple’s exact origins are unknown. After years of work, the reconstruction of Wat Muang was completed in 1982. In 1990, work started on the Big Buddha and was completed 18 years later, costing around 131 million Thai Baht (around $3.75 million).
The giant concrete structure is finished with gold paint and...
Wat Lokaya Suttha - วัดโลกยสุธา
Wat Lokaya Sutha, also known as the temple of the reclining Buddha is situated in the west part of Ayutthaya, south of Wat Worachettharam. It is unknown when this temple was originally constructed and by who. Experts have compared the architectural style of the main pagoda (Prang) of Wat Lokaya Sutha to those in Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Mahathat, and Wat Som, which were all built in the Early Ayutthaya Period. Due to the similarities it is assumed that Wat Lokaya Sutha was also built during the same period.
The temple layout was aligned towards the east-west axis, with the main prang located in the center. In front of the prang are three sermon Halls (Vihara) constructed in alignment next to one another. Behind the prang is an ordination Hall (Ubosot) and a vihara with the Reclining Buddha (Phra Buddha Sai Yat).
It is believed that the temple's compound had been constantly used until Late Ayutthaya Period. In 1954, the restoration of the ...
Aztec Ruins National Monument is a preserved site of Ancestral Puebloan structures located in San Juan County, New Mexico.
The monument, which was established on January 24, 1923, consists of two large ruin complexes, Aztec East and Aztec West, along with additional dwelling sites in the vicinity. The site was built and occupied over 900 years ago and is the largest Ancestral Pueblo community in the Animas River Valley. It was constructed between A.D. 1100 and 1300, and the inhabitants abandoned the area around 1300 A.D..
The monument is known for its reconstructed Great Kiva, which is the only restored great kiva in the Southwest and is accessible to visitors. A kiva is an enclosed, partially underground room, and the Great Kiva at Aztec Ruins National Monument features a round bench lining the kiva's inner wall.
Aztec Ruins National Monument is part of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also designated as a World Heritage...
Galloping Goose is the popular name given to a series of seven railcars (officially designated as "motors" by the railroad), built in the 1930s by the Rio Grande Southern Railroad (RGS) and operated until the end of service on the line in the early 1950s. They were derived from full-sized automobiles.
Originally running steam locomotives on narrow gauge railways, the perpetually struggling RGS developed the first of the "geese" as a way to keep its contract to run mail into towns in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. There was not enough passenger or cargo income to justify continuing the expensive steam train service at then-current levels, but it was believed that a downsized railway would return to profitability. The steam trains would transport heavy cargo and peak passenger loads, but motors would handle lighter loads.
Motors were not only less expensive to operate, but were also significantly lighter, thus reducing impact on the rails and roadbeds. This cost saving meant that the first Goose ...
