Wat ChaiwatthanaramAyutthaya
Wat Chaiwatthanaram is an imposing monastery located in the west of Ayutthaya on the Chao Phraya River. It was built by King Prasat Thong in 1630 and its architecture is similar to that of Angkor Wat in Cambodia and it may have been built to commemorate the King’s victory over Thailand’s neighbour. The temple comprises a main ‘prang’ (or tower) which is 35 meters tall surrounded by a series of smaller prangs situated alongside a gallery containing over 100 Buddha images. The temple is spacious and its well-kept grounds are peaceful. Well worth a visit if history and culture are your interest.
Details: Admission to the temple is 20 Baht and opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00.
How to get there: You can reach the temple’s ruins by bicycle if you have hired one, and a Tuk-Tuk fare will be in the 30 Baht range from the town centre. Long-tail boat services are available from Chankasem Palace at around 350 Baht for the full one-hour round trip.
