Outside of Si Satchanalai’s town walls is Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, one of the oldest temples of Si Satchanalai UNESCO World Heritage Historical Park. The large temple is located East of the historic walled town in Chaliang, on a small peninsula almost entirely surrounded by the Yom river.
Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat predates the Sukhothai era. It was founded in 1237, when the area was under control of the Khmer empire from Angkor. It was restored and expanded during the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya eras.
Today, the temple is an active monastery with a modern ubosot and kuti, the monks living quarters.
Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat houses structures from various eras and styles including Khmer (Bayon style pillar over the East entrance gate), Sukhothai (Phra Attharot standing Buddha image in the mondop, walking Buddha image in the principal viharn) and Ayutthaya (prang).
The main entrance to the temple is a low gate on the East side of the enclosing wall. The gate is topped with a pillar that shows the temple’s Khmer origin. The well preserved sculptings of four faces resemble the face towers of the Bayon in Angkor, a temple built by King Jayavarman VII around the same time as the Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat. The four faces are believed to depict either the Bodhisattva Lokeshvara or Brahma, the Hindu God depicted with four heads. Below it are sculptings of Apsaras, female divine beings often found on the walls of Angkor temples.
The main attraction of Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat is a very well preserved corncob shaped prang. Built from blocks of laterite and covered with plaster, the prang dates to the second half of the 15th century, the early Ayutthaya period. It is believed to have been built over an older structure.
Originating from Khmer architecture, the style of the prang was adapted during the Ayutthaya period. A steep stairway leads to a cella about halfway up the prang that probably contained a linga, the representation of Shiva.
Behind the prang, in the West section are the remains of a chedi named Phra That Mutao. The oldest structure of the temple, the Phra That Mutao is believed to be of Mon Dvaravati origin. Made from blocks of laterite, the chedi stands on a base of several receding octagonal tiers. On its East side is a steep stairway leading to a reliquary chamber. The structure’s top has collapsed. During excavation works parts of a golden spire were found that once topped the chedi.
The site is near the historical park and the best ruin in the area. It’s a must see if you are visiting this area.
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