Wat Ratchaburana – The temple of Royal Restoration
Wat Ratchabunara is one of the must-visit Buddhist temples in the Historical Park of Ayutthaya. It is known as the Temple of restoration and is located north of Wat Mahathat.
The assembly hall with only walls remaining
Basic information about Wat Ratchaburana
Wat Ratchburana was built in 1424 to memorate the death of two royal brothers who tried to fight each other to die for the throne. The third Prince who is also known as King Borommarachathirat II built this temple in the place where his two brothers were cremated. In 1767, under the invasion of the Burmese, this temple was destroyed, and stolen valuable things.
- Address: 9H58+FWF, Chikun Alley, Tambon Tha Wa Su Kri, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000 (See map)
- Opening hours: 08:00 – 16:30
- Ticket fee: 50 THB / person
What is Wat Ratchaburana famous for?
Wat Ratchaburana is well-known for its Khmer design which is similar to the mountain temple of Angkor. The temple’s highlight is a sizeable Khmer-style prang that symbolizes Mount Meru- a symbol of the universe center. It was constructed on an elevated base in a corncob shape. The prang used to be destroyed during the Burmese invasion and has been restored by the Fine Arts Department.
The Khmer style prang is the signature of Wat Ratchaburana
Another interesting part of this temple is the vaults inside the main prang which display many mural paintings about the previous lives of the Buddha. You can reach the main prang by stairs to view the interior.
Like all the temples in Thailand, this temple complex includes an ordination hall (ubosot) and a big assembly hall (viharn). However, these were only added much later after the temple was built. Nowadays, the viharn has lost its roof, and only the wall remains.
Assembly hall overview from the main prang
Tips when visiting Wat Ratchaburana
Always pay attention to the place manners to avoid entrance rejection
This is a sacred place, so you need to follow some temple manners, especially for the below:
- Dress politely, your clothes must cover your legs and shoulders
- Never sit in sacred places
- Respect Buddha
- Never step or sit Buddha image
Check it out for more must-visit temples in Ayutthaya: