WAT PHUKAO THONG : One of the World Heritage Site in Ayutthaya
WAT PHUKAO THONG
(Picture taken from google images)
The name means "The Monastery of the Golden Mount". This monastery is located 2 km northwest of Ayutthaya, in Phukhao Thong sub-district. It's about a 20-minute bicycle ride from the Historical Park. It was established by King Ramesuan in 1395. The base of the monastery is in Burmese style, but the higher parts are built with Ayutthaya stlyle. So basically, this is a hybrid structure that incorporated two different styles. The Chedi (Buddhist stupa for meditation) on top was golden before they changed it to white.
In 1991, UNESCO designated Wat Phukhao Thong as a World Heritage Site within Ayutthaya Historical Park.
Bhureng Noung, a Burmese king ordered a Mon-Burmese-style chedi to be built in Ayutthaya after successfully invading the place in 1569.
The treachery of Phya Chakri contributed to that successful invasion. The invading Burmese forces ransacked and plundered the city, dismantled the defenses
and forcibly transported most of Ayutthaya’s population to Burma. Bhureng Noung returned to Hongsawadi around the time the chedi's base was constructed.
The chedi was left unfinished when the Siamese retook Ayutthaya in 1950, and in 1956, the government placed a golden ball that weighs 2,5 kg on top of the chedi to
celebrate the Buddhist religion's 25th century.
Engelbert Kaempfer, a medical doctor working for the VOC (Verenigde Oost-
Indische Compagnie), also known as Dutch East India Company, wrote in 1690 a description of the chedi
along with a neat sketch. It was a very detailed, two long paragraph of description.
We can climb the Mon-Burmese styled base until the foot of the chedi, and from there we can see the town
of Ayutthaya with its surrounding rice fields. A large statue of King Naresuan also exist in a park that was
created adjacent to the chedi in more recent time.
Reference:
https://www.ayutthaya-history.com/Temples_Ruins_PhukhaoThong.html
https://www.travelfish.org/sight_profile/thailand/bangkok_and_surrounds/ayutthaya/ayutthaya/175
https://worldadventurers.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/wat-phu-khao-thong-in-ayutthaya-thailand/
(Picture taken from google images)
The name means "The Monastery of the Golden Mount". This monastery is located 2 km northwest of Ayutthaya, in Phukhao Thong sub-district. It's about a 20-minute bicycle ride from the Historical Park. It was established by King Ramesuan in 1395. The base of the monastery is in Burmese style, but the higher parts are built with Ayutthaya stlyle. So basically, this is a hybrid structure that incorporated two different styles. The Chedi (Buddhist stupa for meditation) on top was golden before they changed it to white.
In 1991, UNESCO designated Wat Phukhao Thong as a World Heritage Site within Ayutthaya Historical Park.
Bhureng Noung, a Burmese king ordered a Mon-Burmese-style chedi to be built in Ayutthaya after successfully invading the place in 1569.
The treachery of Phya Chakri contributed to that successful invasion. The invading Burmese forces ransacked and plundered the city, dismantled the defenses
and forcibly transported most of Ayutthaya’s population to Burma. Bhureng Noung returned to Hongsawadi around the time the chedi's base was constructed.
The chedi was left unfinished when the Siamese retook Ayutthaya in 1950, and in 1956, the government placed a golden ball that weighs 2,5 kg on top of the chedi to
celebrate the Buddhist religion's 25th century.
Engelbert Kaempfer, a medical doctor working for the VOC (Verenigde Oost-
Indische Compagnie), also known as Dutch East India Company, wrote in 1690 a description of the chedi
along with a neat sketch. It was a very detailed, two long paragraph of description.
We can climb the Mon-Burmese styled base until the foot of the chedi, and from there we can see the town
of Ayutthaya with its surrounding rice fields. A large statue of King Naresuan also exist in a park that was
created adjacent to the chedi in more recent time.
Reference:
https://www.ayutthaya-history.com/Temples_Ruins_PhukhaoThong.html
https://www.travelfish.org/sight_profile/thailand/bangkok_and_surrounds/ayutthaya/ayutthaya/175
https://worldadventurers.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/wat-phu-khao-thong-in-ayutthaya-thailand/
The hybrid part is interesting. Why it is built this way? Can research into this and it can be your inspiration on the idea for your team's new treasure.
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