Practical

• Opening time : Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.
• Entrance fee :
  • Thais
    • 50 ฿ per adult
    • 20 ฿ per child
  • Foreigners
    • 100 ฿

Buddha Factory

Even though I didn't go there, because I didn't know about it at the time, I'll let you know here. A stone's throw from the museum, on the other side of the road, is a Buddha statue factory. The foundry, also an initiative of Sergeant Thawee, allows you to discover the different stages of Buddha statue manufacturing. The process is primarily explained through visuals because the part open to the public mainly concerns the finishing work.

It is good to point out that as such, this is not a "living museum" but a real factory, since Buddha statues are in constant demand in Thailand. If you are interested, they have opened a small store where you can buy various sizes of statues. Be careful on the return trip, however, because taking Buddha statues out of the country is regulated. Depending on its size, you will have to declare it to the airport export services to get official permission to take it.

Practical

• Opening time : every day except Sundays, 8:00 a.m. - 17:00 p.m.
• Price : FREE ENTRANCE

Wat Aranyik

Wat Aranyik is one of the historical and oldest temples in Phitsanulok since it was built during the so-called Sukhothai period. If today, the site is included in the city, at the time of its foundation, it was deliberately located on the outskirts of the city, set back. It was indeed a so-called "forest temple", in English, these temples are simply called "forest temple" so I don't know how to translate it otherwise. But know that this type of temple is isolated from urbanization, and of course, surrounded by a forest. These temples are in fact dedicated to meditation because they are more subject to calm.

Wat Aranyik took the concept even further because in addition to its geographical position, it was also "physically" isolated by a moat surrounding it. This is a common feature in the Sukhothai era, a legacy of Khmer religious buildings. It is especially a configuration found for important temples, Wat Aranyik having been founded under royal patronage.

Although it was relatively remote at the time, it is still only less than 2 km from the famous Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, which I will talk about below. It is also not far from another historic temple that I did not visit, Wat Chedi Yot Thong, which also has an old chedi.

From the explanations that can be obtained on the panels placed on the site, the temple is dated 1361, at a time when Li Thai (ลิไทย), known by his dynastic name Maha Thammaracha I, the ruler who commissioned the construction of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat. A small elephant sculpture placed to the side seems to indicate that this chedi was once surrounded by a group of elephants, as was the case at Wat Chang Lom (whether the one in Sukhothai, or the one in If Satchanalai).

The main vestige of Wat Aranyik is concretely its old chedi. There are two parts. First a structure with a square base, with the particularity of combining red bricks as well as laterite stone blocks, which were found precisely on the ancient temples of the Sukothai period. From what we see, it does not yet have the typical architecture of the stupas to come, with a characteristic bell shape, because the upper part, which is missing the top, is of a rather narrow round shape.

Apart from the chedi, it must be admitted that not much remains of the old, apart from the ruins of the ubosot, the ordination hall. However, the temple is still active, so one can also see all around the part outside the moat, more classical buildings constituting the modern temples, including the monks' dwellings, an ubosot and viharn and other buildings used for the management of the temple.

Practical

• Opening time : daily, 8:00am-17:00pm (same remark as for Wat Chula Manee schedule)
• Price : FREE ENTRANCE

Chan Royal Palace

I am grouping together under one name what forms a whole complex to visit, which once formed the residential area of ​​the royal family of the kingdom of Sukhothai and is today divided into several parts.

For the record, this was the site of the former Royal Chan Palace, built by King Li Thai when he moved his capital from Sukhothai to Phitsanulok. For nearly 250 years, the Palace served as a residence, first for the kings of the Sukhothai Kingdom, then for the viceroys when Ayutthaya extended its influence.

It was in this context that it became the residence of Naresuan when his father, King Maha Thammarcha of Ayutthaya, had given him the palace as the residence of the prince of the time. After Naresuan's reign, the palace lost its function as a royal residence and was abandoned due to successive wars in the region.

Despite a "rediscovery" of the place in 1901 by Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong, one of the sons of Rama IV, the site was chosen in 1932 to house a school, moved from the land housing Wat Nang Phaya, a temple located next to Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, on the other side of the river. During work to extend the school in 1992, bricks belonging to the old palace were found by workers digging the foundations of a new 4-storey building.

From then on, the site was registered as historical by the Thai Fine Arts Department the following year and a new site had to be found for the school which had to move again. Once done,

It was not until 2005 that the school was moved and the site redeveloped. Today, the entire land occupied by the palace is an archaeological site composed of the ruins of the Chan palace and several temples that I will tell you about below.

In addition to the ruins of the Palace and several temples, a modern building houses a museum. Around it, you can also see two wooden houses on stilts. They seemed closed and the explanatory signs were only in Thai, so I did not dwell on their origin before writing this article. Apparently, it is a reconstruction of part of the Chan palace as it is thought to have looked in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Wat Wihan Thong Historical Site

Wat Wihan Thong is believed to have been built in the 15th century as a royal temple, as it is located directly in the Chan Palace area. While the exact dates are unknown, and its appearance at its peak remains unknown, an idea of ​​the buildings that made up the temple can be gained from the surviving ruins of Wat Wihan Thong.

First, we notice what was the viharn, the prayer hall, the remains of which are mainly a brick base and a number of tall stone columns. This hall is distinguished above all by the presence of a large standing Buddha statue, a style typical of the Sukhothai era. While the current statue is a contemporary reproduction, the original statue has been preserved and is now located at Wat Saket ("the golden mountain") in Bangkok.

Next to the viharn is the base and also remains of columns of what must have been the ubosot, the ordination hall. Based on the design of another temple from the same period, it is likely that the columns, made of laterite blocks, supported a wooden roof structure.

Of course, a temple would not be "complete" without its stupa. Located just behind the two halls, one can see remains of stairs that must have led to the chedi chamber, which, judging from the remaining architecture, was again probably a tower in the Khmer style (prang).

If you go behind the ruins of Wat Wihan, you can see other ruins of a secondary temple, which was also part of the Chan Palace, Wat Sri Sukhot.

Somdej Phra Naresuan Maharat Shrine (King Naresuan Shrine)

The latter is a very secondary site in my eyes, since there is not, or rather, much more to see. After that I speak for myself, because we did not visit the adjacent museum, free by the way. But especially for timing reasons, I preferred to skip. So, the main thing we see here are the ruins of the old royal residence, which, seen from the sky, represents a beautiful surface, but at human height, represents hardly more than a few red bricks in the middle of a garden…

And it is in the middle of this ensemble that a sanctuary dedicated to King Naresuan stands, of which you can see an impressive number of rooster statuettes. This symbolism is common with important historical figures. Here, the reference is direct to an episode in the life of Naresuan, which will be decisive later.

While Ayutthaya was under Burmese rule, Prince (later King) Naresuan was held captive by the Burmese in Pegu for several years. One day, he was involved in a cockfight with a Burmese prince's cockfight. Naresuan's cock emerged victorious. The humiliated Burmese prince called Naresuan's cock a "slave animal of war."

But this made Naresuan determined to fight for the freedom of the Ayutthaya kingdom. It is this event that all the figures of roosters commemorate, even if the latter, associated with the money from the bets that accompany these fights, bring a link with the perception of bringing good fortune in the collective imagination.

Practical

• Opening time : Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m.
• Price : FREE ENTRANCE

Wat Nang Phaya and Wat Rachburana

After a stop at the hotel, to eat there because we had a voucher to do so, we continued our day of visits. And before joining the Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, where I used its large parking lot to park, we took advantage of the immediate proximity of the place to take a look at the neighboring temple, the Wat Nang Phaya. If it does not benefit from the significant attendance that its adjoining counterpart can boast, the temple has a certain historical notoriety. It is assumed that this temple was built during the reign of King Maha Thamaratcha, in the middle of the 16th century, to honor his wife, Queen Wisutkasat (who is none other than the mother of King Naresuan the Great).

As you can see, taking a look at this modest monastery can always be worth it while you're there. You'll benefit from more peace and quiet and the statue in its main hall has nothing to envy to that of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat since it is similar in every way. The site is particularly known for its amulets, of which multiple examples were found during excavations. They are known under the name of "Phra Nang Phaya" and are recognizable by their triangular shapes, their reputation makes them one of the five most coveted types of amulets in the country.

Finally, and I will only mention it here because we did not go there, but if you are a fan of old temples, I must point out the presence of another important temple in the area. Wat Rachburana, also spelled Wat Rajburana, is also close, since it is simply separated from Wat Nang Phaya by a road.

This is a 9th-century temple, probably built during the reign of King Trailok. Its main attraction is its imposing chedi, a "classical" bell shape of which tops a 1851-storey octagonal structure. Apart from the chedi, the temple is known for its Ho Trai, a library for religious writings, which is located here on stilts. Finally, you will have the inseparable murals inside the ubosot (ordination hall), which were probably painted during the reign of King Mongkut (r. 1868-XNUMX).

Practical

• Opening time : every day, 8:00 a.m. - 17:00 p.m.
• Price : FREE ENTRANCE

Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat

Clearly Phitsanulok's main attraction, Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, known to locals simply as Wat Yai ("great temple"), is one of the most important in the country, as it houses what is often called the country's finest Buddha statue, the Phra Buddha Chinnarat. This statue was cast at the same time as two other statues, all in bronze, which now stand at Wat Bowon Niwet, off Khao San Road in Bangkok. However, the current appearance of the Buddha Chinnarat would come later, as the gilding seen today is believed to be the work of King Ekathotsarot (r. 1605-1610).

The temple was founded by King Li Thai, who began construction on the banks of the Nan River around 1357. The remains of the original temple are still visible behind the main buildings that make up the current temple, which were built later. When parking in the car park at the back, it was clear that excavations were taking place.

The main view was of one of the main remains of the original temple, the standing Buddha, called Phra Attharot (although the latter is probably a recent reconstruction). In front of the statue, one can see the remains of an ancient chapel with some laterite block columns still standing.

In the background, we can see the prang with its golden top. As a reminder, a prang is a Khmer-style chedi, similar to the one found today at Wat Arun in Bangkok. However, the latter, measuring 36 m high, is in the typical Ayutthaya style. This tower, as well as the main viharn (chapel) housing the Chinnarat Buddha, date from the middle of the 1756th century. More precisely, the viharn, which is in the Lanna style, is the initiative of King Boromakot, who notably donated mother-of-pearl to decorate the two doors of the building in XNUMX.

To reestablish the precise order of our visits, we took a look at the neighboring Wat Nang Phaya, mentioned in the previous chapter, before reaching the main entrance of the temple, along the road bordering the Nan River. In doing so, I was able to see the evolution since my last visit which was in 2012. The quays have been developed, and the road is paved, with the addition of a cycle path (to be seen if it will hold up… because in Bangkok too this was the case for a while around the Grand Palace…).

It all adds a welcoming touch to an area that can be quite crowded, given the temple's reputation. In our case, we can say "thank you" to Covid, because while it was far from deserted, it wasn't the same crowd as my first visit.

Unlike my first discovery of the temple, I lingered a little longer over the wall paintings, because sometimes, you can spot funny scenes there, like a sort of signature of the artist who participated in the creation of this work spanning the ages.

After the viharn and its Buddha, we went to explore the cloisters a little, where you will see the classic alignments of Buddha. The temple here also has a room that serves as a mini museum. In addition to another Buddha in the center, there were several showcases exhibiting beautifully crafted ceramic pieces.

Practical

• Opening time : every day, 6:00 a.m. - 21:00 p.m.
• Price input: 40 ฿

Downtown

Once all these visits were done, largely focused on the historical aspect of the city, we still decided to go to the city center, just to see a more current side of the city. But before that, we took a look at the canal still visible on the east side, a vestige of the moats that surrounded the old city in its glory days.

For the rest of the program, my plan was to gravitate around the station, which has an obvious old-world charm. So I parked a few hundred meters before the station roundabout, along Aka Thotsarot Street, which crosses the city in a north-south axis. We find ourselves in a typical provincial town atmosphere.

We are surrounded by a visual mess of billboards and electrical and telephone wires. It is very colorful and typical in a way, but after all these years in Thailand, I have always had trouble with this visual "pollution" that makes it difficult to appreciate the architecture of a city, outside of its historical sites.

To put things into perspective, I can, however, cite a few cities that also have a particular appeal, even if generally limited to a few blocks of streets. You have Phuket town, or Page and Songkhla, in the south of the country, to the east you have Chanthaburi, and to the north, Lampang ou Phrae for example.

Once in front of the station, you can admire the locomotive displayed like a trophy, symbol of a bygone past, while the latter were still running on Thai rails until the end of the 50s. This one is a model made in England, dating from 1919, a beautiful beast. If a first station was operational in Phitsanulok from 1907, the current building dates from 1945, the previous one having suffered too much during the Second World War.

First, we went along the avenue facing the station, with an obvious name, Naresuan Road. Not far from there, I had spotted a small perpendicular street sheltering a row of old wooden houses. It is not very well developed and as such, it seems to be privatized because a gate delimits the area (possibly former railway staff homes). The view seems better from the other side of this alley, because from the passage from where I took the photo below, it didn't give much...

While we had been walking around the area for about twenty minutes, I wanted a coffee, and we were both a little peckish, at 16pm in the afternoon (well, it's common in Thailand to be hungry at any time ahahah!). It was shortly after a crossroads with the almost "classic" clock in the middle, that we stopped in a small café, which doesn't look like much from the outside, but turned out to be all the more nice and rather good (afterwards, I wanted a burger, so as for Thai food, we'll come back to that).

On the other hand, time was running out, but I had one last visit that I wanted to make to end this day in Phitsanulok. So we didn't hang around and once full, we went straight back to the car, not without passing a lively market.

To sum up this overview of the city center, apart from the atmosphere of the station, which may be worth a look, there was still not much to "get your teeth into" (in the sense of taking nice photos). It must also be said that we were in the middle of the Covid period, so the streets were quite deserted and gave a somewhat special atmosphere.

If we didn't go back this time, I would like to mention here the possibility of finding lots of restaurants and shops, normally lively in the evening, all along the banks of the Nan River (when leaving the station, you go straight to the bridge, the street in question is the one on the left before crossing the bridge).

Giant Water Lily Pond (Victoria Waterlilies)

Here we are at our last stop of the day. We are leaving the city slightly, without really going far, because we are then only 5 km from the station from where we left. An irrigation channel 500 m away is basically the only separation between this natural area where we are and the urbanization of Phitsanulok.

Basically, it is a private property, where there are some adjacent ponds. And in recent years, its owner has become known for the giant water lily leaves covering his ponds. This species, called Victoria Amazonica, is native to South America. Their particularity, besides their imposing size, which can vary from 2 to 3 m in diameter, is their incredible strength allowing a person to stand upright while floating on water!

And for the strongest ones, they can support a load of up to 100 kg! The owner therefore welcomes the curious who generally come by the dozen every day and tries the experience of sitting on a leaf, the time to take a photo. In our case, we did not try this exercise, moreover it is paid. He normally asks 100 baht per person, the visit of the garden itself being a small donation of 10 Baht per person.

It was sunset and I preferred to admire that than to attempt the pose. Note that if you give in to temptation, you will not be able to walk on it like that, raw. The very structure of the leaves is too flexible and the water would seep over the edges. The secret to standing up then lies in distributing the weight over the entire surface by adding a round, solid object.

Knowing that apart from this curiosity aspect, the stems of the water lilies are harvested and used for cooking. In addition to the few fruit trees surrounding the house, this is what makes the family live at the base more than the attraction itself, open to the public for only about 4 years.

Last useful information, you should know that if you can access the garden all year round, the period from July to February is preferable. Otherwise the setting will be less pretty and above all, the water level at the end of the dry season until the return of the rain (roughly, from April to the beginning of July) will not be sufficient to be able to climb on the leaves.

• Opening time : every day, no specific times, just indicate your presence and you should be able to access it.
• Price input: 10฿/100฿ to climb on a sheet.