Wat Wora Chet Tha Ram
Wat Wora Chet Tha Ram is one of the many temple ruins that dot Ayutthaya, the ancient seat of power in Thailand. This region was once a thriving metropolis at the heart of the Thai civilization, boasting over 1 million inhabitants in 1700. Traders and merchants from all over Asia, the Middle East and parts of Europe came here to peddle their wares and broker trade agreements.
But all of that came to an end in 1767.
In 1767,King Tong-U of Burma invaded Ayutthaya and decimated the kingdom. Very few buildings were spared as they razed the capital. After the invasion Ayutthaya was all but abandoned and the few remaining structures crumbled with disrepair.
Today Ayutthaya is a combination of UNESCO World Heritage Site and functional city. The ancient city of Ayutthaya was never rebuilt, but several years after the short-lived Burmese occupation a small village popped up near the site of the old capital. That village took on the name of Ayutthaya and is now a thriving city that preserves and maintains the ruins that are nearby.
One of the structures that survived complete destruction is Wat Wora Chet Tha Ram.
The sign outside the temple reads: This Temple is behind the royal palace inside the city wall to the west. According to Ayutthaya annals, the temple was built by King Eakathosarot circa AD 1593 the year King Naresuan the Great died while leading an army to attack King Tong-U in Burma. In honor of his elder brother, King Eakathosarot built a mighty crematorium here and some 10,000 monks were invited to the royal cremation.
The main ancient shrine of the temple is a large brick and mortar Sukhothai-style bell shaped stupa. Inside the temple walls there are many buildings used for religious ceremony making, such as Vihara buildings, Ubosot Building and two small redented stupas on the same base.
As you can see, the large stupa is still intact along with two massive Buddha statues.
It is believed that this is where King Naresuan the Great was cremated.
The only remaining building on the temple grounds.
This is the interior of the temple. Not much remains except a well-preserved Buddha and the base of two small stupas.
Even though the site is in ruins, it’s still clear to see how much importance this site holds to the Thai people.
There are numerous restoration projects going on in the area and I really hope that Wat Wora Chet Tha Ram will be one of the sites restored to former glory.
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geanine
Traveling for us always entailss educational value for our family. This for sure would be a great experience for all of us to learn of another culture, the beautiful sights you have highlighted and the religion. Thank you for sharing another great post!
Krystal Butherus
I wish I could travel the world more. This is truly a beautiful area to travel. I hadn’t heard of the Wat Wora Chet Tha Ram before, and it is sad to think that this was destroyed.
Michelle Hwee
Wow how beautiful! Very interesting to see this temple still standing, proud and strong. I love learning more about the world, it makes me feel more connected! Thank you so much for sharing it, I never heard of this place before until now! Love it!
rochkirstin
Whoa those structures look really good. We have been to Thailand but not to this place. The environment is serene and I like the calmness of the water. It’s a great site where you can reflect on life and pray. Too bad some parts are ruined.
Brea
Amazing photographs! It’s tragic to think of all of the destruction. I love that they are preserving what is left.
chbernard
Your pictures are absolutely beautiful and so rich in colour! It is so sad to see the ruins and destruction but it still remains just as beautiful as ever and is so rich in history. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Jeanine
Wow these photos are incredible. I’ve never traveled anywhere really, but my cousin has been to just about everything. I have never heard of Wat Wora Chet Tha Ram before – this is all new to me. But judging by these photos, it’s a beautiful place see. I have always wanted to see a temple in real life, so I hope to one day get to a place like this. How amazing.
Dogvills
This is one of the places I dream of visiting one day. Aside from the temples, I heard the beaches there are amazing. It so sad that very few buildings were spared after the invasion.
Victoria
This looks like it would be a great place to visit. When my boys are older I want to be able to travel more. There are just so many places to go that could provide a wonderful educational experience.
YellowTennessee
It is so devastating to think of how many things have been destroyed due to wars, etc. The temple looks beautiful, even though there is not much left of it.
Kita Bryant
My Brother in Law would love this he is a history major at Cornell University and he was talking about traveling to see the world and learning about religion. I always think about things that remain intact when everything else around it is destroyed I don’t know it may be superstitious of me but it’s always something about that object that remains untouched.