Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Located in the grand palace compound, it was used as a residential palace since the reign of King Ramathibodi I (Phra Chao U – Thong). In 1448, during the reign of King Borom Trai Lokanath , it was dedicated as the royal chapel. The prominence of this monastery is the three pagodas in which the ashes of three Kings – King Borom Trai Lokanath, King Borom Rachathirat III and King Ramathibodi II, were enshrined.

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Wat Phra Sri Sanphet

The royal palace was located here from the establishment of
Ayutthaya in the reign of King Ramathibodi 1 (1350 A.D.) to the reign
of King Sam Phraya (1448 A.D.). Later King Borommatrailokanat
ordered a wat to be built on this site in 1448 A.D. to be used as a
monastic area.

After the reign of King Borommatrailokanat, his son King Ramathibodi II,
ordered the construction for two chedis, one of which was kept the
ashes of his father and the other those of his brother, King Borom-
marachathirat III. Another chedi was built by order of King Borom-
rachanophuttangkun. It was similarly used to house royal remains
those of King Ramathibodi II.

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In 1499, a principal viharn was built. The following year, in 1500 A.D.,
King Ramathibodi II commanded the casting of a standing Buddha
image 16 meters high and covered with gold. This image, Phra
Buddha Chao Si Sanphet was the main object of veneration in the
royal viranra (hall of worship). After that time the ashes of members
of the royal family other than the kings were placed in small chedis
constructed at the site.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the royal chapel and as such did not
have a Sangavasa (no monks dwelt there). It was used for royal
ceremonies.

When Ayutthaya was sacked in 1767 A.D. the gold which covered
was taken by the invaders. During his reign King Rama I (1782 -
1809 A.D.) of the Ratanakosin Period ordered the transfer of the
inner core of Phra Buddha Chao Si Sanphet from Ayutthaya to Wat
Phra Chetuphon in Bangkok, and had it placed in a chedi specially
built for the purpose. Another Buddha image of importance called
Phralokanat was also brought to this wat at about the same time.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

The three chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet.

The three bell-shaped chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet have practically become a symbol of Ayutthaya. The temple stands almost in the center of the main area of the old capital.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet was built by King Boromatrailokanat in 1448. It was reportedly one of the grandest temples in the ancient capital, and it is still one of the best preserved on the island. The temple took its name from the large standing Buddha image erected there in 1503. The image stood 16 meters (53 feet) tall and was covered with more than 150 kilograms (330 pounds) of gold. The Buddha was smashed to pieces when the Burmese sacked the city. King Rama I collected the remaining pieces and placed them in a chedi at Wat Po in Bangkok.

Headless Buddha image at one end of Wat Phra Si Sanphet

The three large chedis were built to contain the ashes of King Boromatrailokanat and his two sons, King Ramathibodhi and King Boromatrailokanat II. They are considered typical of the Ayutthaya style, and several replicas of them have been built in Bangkok, including the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

A toppled chedi behind the three chedis of Wat Phra Ai Sanphet.

The three chedis were surrounded by a large cloister with lines of smaller chedis placed near the outer wall. At one end of the line formed by the three chedis is the remains of a smaller chapel with a now headless Buddha image. The graceful curves achieved with ordinary bricks is quite interesting to see.

Around back of the three chedis, many of the small chedis along the outer wall have been toppled over. Though unfortunate, this does give you a rare opportunity to see the details of the top finials up close.

The temple was originally connected directly to the royal palace (Wang Luang), but the Burmese leveled the palace buildings right to the ground. The early Bangkok kings had most of the bricks hauled off to build the new capital.