Wat Pathum Wanaram

Wat Pathum Wanaram ( Thai: วัด ปทุม วนาราม, also: วัด ป่า บัว, Wat Pa Bua - Temple of the Lotus forest ) is a Buddhist temple ( wat ) in the district ( Khet ) Pathum Wan of Thailand's capital Bangkok. His full name is " Wat Pathum Wanaram Ratcha Wora Viharn " ( วัด ปทุม วนาราม ราชวรวิหาร ), it is a temple of the third class of the Order of Thammayut monks.

Location

The 150- year-old royal temple is still an oasis of calm in his loud and hectic secular environment. Immediately to the west adjacent to the temple grounds is the recently opened shopping mall Siam Paragon, a little further afield, Siam Center, which was built in 1973. Before the temple grounds leads past the busy Rama I Road ( Thanon Phra Ram 1) over which the Bangkok Skytrain runs diagonally opposite on the other side of the street is Siam Square, a shopping area with many small shops, restaurants and movie theaters. To the east of the temple is besieged by the skyscrapers of the Central World Plaza shopping center, which is located at the Ratchaprasong intersection.

History

Wat Pathum Wanaram was founded in 1857 by King Mongkut (Rama IV ), to have a place of worship near his new Sra - Pathum Palace. The name of the new temple was first " Wat Sra Pathum ," he was far on the outskirts of Bangkok midst of rice fields in a marshy environment. At that time the only way to reach the temple, by boat on the Khlong Saen Saep, so to speak, "behind" runs the temple grounds today.

Construction

The grounds of Wat Pathum Wanaram is shielded by a high wall of his worldly environment. From the Rama I Road is first passed through a gate entrance to a large parking area at the borders, an oval, lined with many lotus flowers pond. Behind the pond begins the actual temple. The floor plan is strictly divided as with any traditional Thai Wat in the south Putthawat, the field of sacred buildings and the adjoining north Sanghawat, the living area of the monks. To the west of these areas are still some rundown houses, but which seem to belong to the temple.

The Putthawat is also surrounded by a low Kampheng Kaeo ( Jewels - wall). In it exactly from west facing east in a series of " Phra ubosot ", the " Phra Chedi ", the " Phra Viharn " and " Thon Pho ", the Bodhi tree.

  • The ubosot is slightly smaller than the Viharn. His Bai Sema (boundary stones) are not flat and leaf-shaped ( Bai ), but three-dimensional, four - sided carved, rather cube-shaped stones as they are frequently encountered in Thammayut temples. Before the western entrance stands the modern sculpture of a Dvaravati laws wheel of red sandstone, flanked by two statues seven -headed nagas. The interior walls are covered with murals that still King Mongkut's date from the period. On the end wall large lotus flowers are shown on whose leaves dance graceful Apsaras. On the side walls is more paintings by lotus ponds and scenes are from the time of King Mongkut, in some scenes, the king himself is depicted.
  • The Chedi is limed know she is the only building that is already visible from afar. The bell-shaped body stands on a square base, with little alcove at the four ends. In the eastern alcove there is a statue of King Mongkut. Under the Chedi the ashes of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej is buried, the father of the present King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX. ). Also, here is a bone fragment of the Queen Mother Princess Srinagarindra ( ศรี น ค ริน ท รา ) and a bone fragment of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII ).
  • The viharn has at its end faces each have a portico. By three doors reach the faithful in the hall, which is dominated by the famous Buddha statue called Luang Pho Phra OEM ( หลวง พ่อ พระ เสริม ). Luang Pho Phra OEM was brought by King Phra Nang Klao (Rama III. ) As spoils of war from Vientiane. King Mongkut finally let her bring her here. Today she sits on a impressively ornate throne, flanked by two huge elephant tusks. Also in Viharn all the walls are covered with traditional paintings. On the front page a number of boats is shown, with whom King Mongkut Coming visited the temple on the Khlong Saen Saeb. Are located on the side walls again numerous, lined with large lotus flowers ponds, on the banks of traditional royal Salas. The shutters are painted from the inside with mythological guardian figures that stand between lotus flowers, from the outside they are covered with gilded wood carvings depicting scenes from the daily life of that time. Also worth seeing is an old black and white photograph of the temple, as he looked over 100 years ago. The photo erwas depends hidden on the right side wall.
  • The Bodhi tree is surrounded by a square, open gallery, in which a number of different Buddha statue are placed.

Other buildings

In the " back part " of the temple, between the Sanghawat, the living quarters of the monks, and the Khlong Saen Saeb is the Phra Meru Mas, a reconstruction of the crematorium to the venerable Queen Mother of Thailand Srinagarindra ( ศรี น ค ริน ท รา ), whose remains were cremated on 10 March 1996 to the Sanam Luang. The urn with her ​​ashes was then transferred in a solemn procession to the temple Wat Ratchabophit. The Phra Meru Mas is an example of traditional Thai handicraft, it is built entirely in wood and richly decorated with sculptures. He is the mythological Mount Meru represent the central axis of the Buddhist worldview.

BTS Skytrain Cetiya Nāga Nelumbo Sala (architecture)
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