North
Thailand / Sukhothai / The Royal Palace and Wat Mahathat
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The royal
palace lies in the center of the old town and covers an area of
160,000sqm (16 hectares, roughly 40 acres), about one fourth of
the area of the town within the walls. The palace compound is
surrounded by a moat and contains two main sections; the
royal residence and the palace temple, Wat Mahathat.
The famous
stone inscription of King Ramkhamhaeng was found here by
King Mongkut in the 19th century, together with a piece of the
stone throne called Manangkhasila Asana. King Ramkhamhaeng
had this throne in the midst of a sugar palm grove where, at his
request, a monk preached on Buddhist Sabbath days and the king
conducted the affairs of state on other days. This throne was
later installed in Bangkok's Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The sanctuary
lies to the west behind the actual royal palace. It is Sukhothai's
largest wat and has a customary main Chedi in lotus-bud shape
and a ruined Vihara (hall). At the base of the Chedi stand figures
of Buddhist disciples in adoration. On the pedestal are seated
Buddha images. In front of this reliquary is a large Vihara which
originally contained a remarkable seated bronze Buddha
in Sukhothai style, cast and installed by King Lithai of
Sukhothai in 1362. At the end of the 18th century, the image was
removed to the Vihara Luang of Wat Suthat in Bangkok
by order of King Rama I and has since been named Phra Si Sakaya
Muni. In front of the large Vihara is another smaller Vihara which
was probably built during the Ayutthaya period. Its main Buddha
image (8m (26ft) high was installed inside a separate building.
In front of the southern image a piece of sculpture called Khom
Dam Din (a Khmer who came by way of walking underground) was
found. It is now kept in the Mae Ya Shrine near the Sukhothai
Administrative Building.
To the South
stands a pedestal of a large Chedi built up in steps. The lowest
platform is adorned with beautiful stucco figures of demons,
elephants and lions with angels riding on their backs.
Mural paintings adorn the crypt of this Chedi.
Photo: Giant Buddha among the ruins of Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai
Photo: Standing Buddha at Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai
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clinical features and basal levels of testosterone, LH and FSH in serum collected in the morning and the gonadotrophin responses to LHRH stimulation were similar in all subjects.
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http://www.asiatour.com/thailand/e-05nort/et-nor71.htm
Jan Garanoz
869/116 Thanon Pemavipat,
Chiang Rai, 57000 Thailand
Created: September 1, 1995
Last updated: January 28, 2010