What Ratchaburana

Wat Ratchaburana, which translates to "Temple of Royal Restoration," was built in 1424 by the new King Borommarachathirat II in memory of his two older brothers. It was originally accessed by boat, as it was located on the banks of a major canal, the Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak (translated to mean the Unmilled Rice Gate Canal), which has since disappeared since it was filled in at the beginning of the XNUMXth century.

Wat Ratchaburana is a temple that looks very similar to its neighbor, Wat Mahathat. The layout is the same, with a rectangular building on each side of the central prang, which takes up Khmer architecture. However, it is much better preserved than its neighbor and is therefore interesting to visit to better understand the original appearance of its temples.

History of Wat Ratachaburana

The temple was founded in 1424 by Borommarachathirat II, a king who was not meant to be. Indeed, he was the youngest of three brothers. Their father, the King Intharacha (r. 1409-1424) had three sons, each of whom ruled over the major cities then established to the northwest of the capital of this still young kingdom. Chao Ai Phraya, the eldest, ruled the powerful city of Suphan Buri; his younger son, Chao Yi Phraya, administered San Buri (today Phraek Sriracha, also known as Sankha Buri, located on the banks of the Noi River), a city established on a newly conquered territory. Finally, the youngest, Chao Sam Phraya, had been given the guard of Chainat, a new city located on the banks of a river that would take his name, I am of course speaking of the Chao Phraya (this term being basically a title of nobility).

Aerial view of the site (photo from the 80s I think).

Chainat was at the northern edge of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, since beyond it was at that time the Sukhothai Kingdom, which, although in decline, coexisted with Ayutthaya for a while. After their father's death, the first and second sons, respectively Chao Ai Phraya and Chao Yi Phraya, led their respective armies (about 500 men each) to Ayutthaya in order to claim the throne. The two princes engaged in a personal fight, mounted on elephants; right at the gates of the city, which at that time, was at the level of the Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak canal. The fight took place precisely next to the so-called "coal market" bridge (Saphan Pa Than).

The outcome of this fight was fatal for the two brothers since they cut each other's throats, dying on the spot... The youngest brother,
Chao Sam Phraya, therefore, became the new heir by default, and was subsequently invited to Ayutthaya and proclaimed king under the title of Borommaracha II. Among his first acts, he had two chedis built on the very site where his brothers engaged in battle (still visible, on the crossroads opposite Wat Ratchaburana, as are the remains of the old brick bridge).

He then cremated his two brothers and ordered the construction of a temple on their cremation site, thus is the origin of Wat Racha.
Burana. There is little information about the history of the temple until its destruction along with the entire city in 1767. In 1957, following the discovery of gold objects during the excavations of Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya attracted many thieves determined to search the ruins for buried treasures. A group of them managed to enter the crypt of Wat Ratchaburana which was robbed. Many valuable objects such as votive tablets, golden royal regalia, gemstones and Buddha images were stolen. Although the thieves were caught, only a portion of the loot could be recovered, as many of these treasures had already been sold to unscrupulous collectors.

To prevent further losses, the Fine Arts Department launched a major excavation and restoration campaign the following year, including at temples including Wat Ratchaburana. Many other priceless objects were discovered and are now on display at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum located nearby. You will note that the origin of the museum, specially built to exhibit the treasures of Wat Ratchaburana, was therefore named after its founder, the 3rd son of King Intharacha.

Architecture of Wat Ratchaburana

Wat Rachaburana is very similar to Wat Phra Ram, Wat Phutthaisawan and its neighbor Wat Mahathat, all temples built in the early years of the capital. The monastery is oriented towards the rising sun, to the east, on the same model as the temples of Angkor whose architecture symbolizes Mount Meru, the center of the universe in the Hindu religion. This is the classic concept found for example in Cambodian temples such as Phnom Bakheng, Preah Rup, East Mebon, Baphuon and Ta Keo, all located in the historic area of ​​Angkor. They all use a staggered layout, with a central tower surrounded by four towers in the corners, the whole was also often surrounded by a courtyard and a gallery.

Reconstruction of Wat Ratchaburana. Drawing by K. Anuwat Toenjohem (from the Moleskine architectural site)

Knowing that all temples in the period following the establishment of Ayutthaya were essentially Khmer in style, consisting mainly of structures mixing laterite blocks and brick, covered with stucco and bas-reliefs for finishing and decoration.

Wat Rachaburana was no exception and was originally built in a staggered pattern, with its central prang, still visible, surrounded by a covered gallery with a tower at each corner. The monastery was once surrounded by a water-filled moat, symbolic of the oceans surrounding Mount Meru (represented by the prang). It was only much later that rectangular buildings were added along the east-west axis, when the Thai architectural style began to develop. The viharn to the west was partly integrated into the gallery, while the ordination hall (ubosot) is slightly set back to the west.

1- The central prang

The central element of the temple. Despite its venerable age, it is particularly well preserved, because the prang of Wat Rachaburana was still in fairly good condition after the destruction of the city and was thus able to be restored. The prang has an architecture that was characteristic of the prangs of the early Ayutthaya period.

A little peculiarity here, the small central room inside the prang, containing the crypt, is accessed by a porch facing east. There are also three sets of stairs, facing east, north and south. This room, called "cella", once housed a statue of Buddha. The crypt is now accessed by a staircase added in 1958 by the Department of Fine Arts and is divided into two levels. The interior is narrow, so it is best not to be claustrophobic. On the first level, you can still see the remains of wall paintings, including mandarins and some remaining Chinese characters. The lower floor is so narrow that only one person can go there at a time. The paintings are better preserved on the sides and depict the life of Buddha and his disciples as well as some floral motifs.

On the external structure, sometimes compared to a bud or even an ear of corn, there are still some original sculptures like that of a Garuda, a demigod bird from Hindu mythology, transposed into Buddhism (which has also become the emblem of the monarchy in Thailand). There is also the classic mythological serpent with multiple heads, the Naga, considered a divinity of water and earth (therefore the opposite of Garuda, sometimes depicted as its enemy).

2- The viharn

The viharn, positioned to the east of the prang, was integrated into the pre-existing structure of the gallery surrounding the central tower. The main entrance is located to the east even though several entrances allowed access to it. On the other hand, there were very few windows even though they are essential to let in some light and ventilate the building.

The multi-tiered roof collapsed in the fire that ravaged the temple, while it was supported by a series of columns typically topped with a lotus flower motif. On the other hand, its four walls are still standing, which is rare enough to be noted.

3- The ubosot

The ubosot is slightly isolated to the west (meaning not attached to the gallery like the viharn). It was also accessible via a raised porch and its entire structure was similar to the viharn, although of slightly more modest dimensions. The building, on the other hand, has suffered more from the ravages of time and little remains of it except the brick base.

4- Viharns and secondary chedis

As with all temples, Wat Ratchaburana included a large complex of subsidiary viharns and chedis, probably added over the years. There are various styles and states of preservation, making the site generally interesting to explore.