Wat Kuti Thong วัดกุฎีทอง is an active temple located on the northern side of the old
Lopburi River. It is split into two parts by a road that runs through the center of the monastery.
The monks live in the buildings closest to the river and the ancient ruins are on the opposite side of the road.
Wat Kuti Thong is framed by many ancient walls and an arched entrance gateway. These can still be seen directly next to the road, but they are also visible completely around the monastery’s boundaries. Some of the walls are quite high in places.
The main sermon hall sits on top of a large mound, which may have been the remains of an older building. Two gold painted Buddha images sit in the taming mara poses on the main altar.
The sermon hall is a modern construction in the Ratanakosin style.
On the north side if the hall are two large chedis. They sit on top of a huge mound, so some parts of them may still be concealed underground. Both chedi are bell-shaped, which suggests that ...
Wat Mai Khlong Sra Bua วัดใหม่
Wat Mai or the New Monastery is a restored ruin located off the city island, to the north of the old Looburi River. It is opposite of Wat Na Phra Men (active temple) and the Grand Palace (restored ruin).
The temple complex faces south towards the Lopburi River as most of the temples along
this city canal. It is customary in South and South-east Asia that the temple structures
are aligned in an east-west axis and that the principal building faces east, the direction of
the rising sun, and representation of life.
In this case another important consideration
played a role which is, that a temple should face water, explained by the fact that the Buddha attained enlightenment sitting under a Bodi tree facing a river. The temple can face south, as the south has a neutral value in the cosmological alignment.
The site contains the remains of an ordination hall or ubosot and a number of satellite chedis. The monastery was surrounded by an outer ...
Wat Chakkrawat วัดจักรวรรดิ์
Wat Jakrawan (Chakrawan), also called Wat Chao Mon, is a restored ruin located off the city island in the eastern area of Ayutthaya near the train station.
The temple ruin is situated on the west bank of Khlong Ayodhya. Wat Kudi Dao lies opposite of it, while to the north stands Wat Ayodhya. On its west side is Wat Pradu Songtham.
The monastery derives its name from the "Traiphum", the three-world system. The ancient Theravada tradition saw a flat world with Heaven above and Hell below, which was later modified to a ten thousand world vision.
According to the Traiphum, the universe has been for ever occupied by an infinite number of Chakrawans (groups of worlds) all exactly similar, and each embracing a world of men, with a series of heavens and hells. Each of these worlds (solar systems) depends on a central mountain named
Phra Meru. Around Mount Meru are eight circular belts of ocean, divided from each other by seven annular mountains ...
Wat Phraya Maen วัดพระยาแมน is located north of the city island along the Khlong Sra Bua canal.
The exact date that Wat Phraya Maen was established is unknown.
Royal Chronicles refer to a respected figure known as Phraya Maen, who was commanded by King Chakkraphat to take one thousand freemen and escort Princess Thepkasattri to Lan Sang, present day Laos, where she was set to marry.
In order to strengthen his kingdom, the Laotian
King Setthathirat moved his capital to Vientiane and fortified the city. He then proposed a marriage alliance with Ayutthaya and requested that Princess Thepkasattri, the daughter of Queen Suryothai, become his wife.
King Chakkraphat tried to trick his allies by sending a less desirable daughter instead, the younger Princess Kaeo Fa. When King Setthathirat discovered the ruse, it threatened relations among the two kingdoms, so it was arranged to send the original princess as promised. The Burmese learned of this plan and sent armies to ...
