Sukhothai

The Sukhothai Historical Park

This is located 12 kms. from town on the Sukhothai-Tak Highway. It is open daily 08.30-16.30 hrs. Admission fee is 40 baht. Ruins of the royal palaces, Buddhist temples, the city gates, walls, moats, dams, ditches, ponds, canals, and the water dyke control system, which was the magical and spiritual center of the kingdom, are now preserved and have been restored by the Fine Arts Department with the cooperation of UNESCO, not only with a view of fostering Thailand's national identity but the safeguarding a fine example of mankind's cultural heritage. The tourist Service Center is near Wat Phra Phai Luang. The center provides information and facilitates visitors to the Sukhothai Historical Park, as well as displays models of historical buildings and structures in old Sukhothai. Places of interest are as follows:- Inside the City Walls

The Wall of The Old City

The city wall is located in the center of the historical park in Tambon Muang Kao and surrounded by earthen ramparts. The north and the south walls are each 2,000 meters long, where as the east and the west walls are each 1,600 meters long. The walls contain four main gates: Sanluang on the north, Namo on the south, Kamphaenghak on the east, and Oar on the west. A stone inscription mentions that King Ramkhamhaeng set up a bell at one of the gates. If his subjects needed help, they would ring the bell and the King would come out to settle disputes and dispense justice. Inside the town stands 35 monuments including Buddhist temples and many other structures.

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The Royal Palace and Wat Mahathat

The royal palace lies in the center of the town and covers an area of 160,000 square meters. This area is surrounded by a moat and contains two main compounds; the royal building and the sanctuary in the palace. In the royal compound exists the ruins of the royal building called Noen Phrasat. Here, the famous stone inscription of King Ramkhamhaeng was found by King Mongkut (Rama IV) in the 19th century together with a piece of the stone throne called "Manangkhasila Asana" King Ramhamhaeng set up the 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. A sanctuary lying to the west behind the Royal Palace compound is Wat Mahathat. It is Sukhothai's largest temple with a customary main Chedi in lotus-bud shape and a ruined viharn. At the base of the Chedi stands Buddhist disciples in adoration, and on the pedestal are seated Buddha images. In front of this reliquary is a large viham formerly containing a remarkable seated bronze Buddha image of the Sukhothai style, which was cast and installed by King Lithai of Sukhothai in 1362. At the end of the 18th century, the image was removed to the Viham Luang of Wat Suthat in Bangkok by the order of King Rama I and has since been named Phra Si Sakaya Muni. In front of the large viharn is another smaller viham which was probably built during the Ayutthaya period. Its main Buddha image (8 meters high) was installed inside a separate building. In front of the southern image, a piece of sculpture called, "Khom Dam Din" (a Khmer who come by way of walking underground) was found, and is now kept in the Mae Ya Shrine near the Sukhothai City Hall. On 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 angles riding on their backs. Mural painting adorn this Chedi.

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Wat Si-Sawai

Situated among magnificent scenery southwest of Wat Mahathat is Wat Si-Sawai. Three prangs are surrounded by a laterite wall. Inside the wall, the viham in the west, built of laterite, is separate from the main prang which was constructed in the Lop Buri or Hindu-style, but the other also constructed beside the prangs are Buddhist vihams. The Crown Prince of that time who later become King Rama VI found a trace of the Hindu sculpture Sayomphu, the greatest Hindu God in this sanctuary, In his opinion, this ruin was once a Hindu shrine, but was later converted into a Buddhist monastery.

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Wat Traphang-ngoen

Situated to the west of Wat Mahathat is Wat Traphang-Ngoen with its square pedestal, main sanctuary, and stucco standing Buddha image in four niches. There is a viharn in front, and in the east of the pond, there is an island with an ubosot. This edifice has already crumbled and only its pedestal and laterite columns still remain. Many monuments and magnificent scenery are visible from this location.

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Wat Chana-Songkhram
Situated to the north of Wat Mahathat is Wat Chana-Songkhram. It was once called Wat Ratchaburana. Its main sanctuary is a round Singhalese-style chedi. In front of the chedi exists the base of a viharn and behind the former stands an ubosot. Bases of twelve small chedis are also visible. Near Charot Withi Thong Road is a strange chedi having three bases, one on top of the other.

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Wat Sa-Si
Situated near Wat Chanasongkhram is Wat Sa-Si. Around a Singhalese-style chedi is the main sanctuary on an island in the middle of Traphang Trakuan Pond. A large viharn contains a stucco Buddha image. To the south stands nine chedis of different sizes.

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San-Ta-Pha-Daeng or Diety Shrine
Situated to the north of Wat Mahathat is San-Ta-Pha-Daeng. This monument consists of only one laterite prang with a staircase in the front. Sandstone Hindu divine object (Lop Bun-style) were discovered here.

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King Ramkhamhaeng Monument
Situated to the north of Wat Mahathat is the King Ramkhamhaeng Monument. The bronze statue of King Ramkhamhaeng sits on a throne named Phra-Thaen-Manangkhasila-Asana with a base relief recording his life.

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Wat Mai
Situated to the north of Wat Mahathat is Wat Mai. Wat Mai, having a brick viham as the main sanctuary, is in Ayutthaya style. The columns of the viharn are made of laterite. A bronze image of the Buddha under a Naga, (Lop Bun-style) was found here and is now preserved in the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum.

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The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum
The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum was built in I960 and opened on 25 January, 1964. The museum collection includes gifts from the ex-abbot of Wat Ratchathani and art objects unearthed in Sukhothai and nearby provinces. It is open daily from 09.00-l6.00 hrs. Admission fee 30 Baht. Tel. (055) 612167

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Wat Traphang Thong

Situated to the east of Wat Mahathat is Wat Traphang-Thong. The monastery is located on an island in the middle of a large pond. A ruined laterite Singhalese-style chedi is on the island. In front of it, a new mondop contains the Lord Buddha's Footprint slab that was created by King Lithaiin 1390 on Samanakutor Phra Bat Yai Hill. This footprint was removed to the new mondop some years ago. An annual fair to worship this sacred Lord Buddha's Footprint takes place at the same time as the Loi Krathong Festival.

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Outside the City Walls

North Area

Wat Phra Phai Luang

This temple lies about 500 meters north of San Luang Gate. This sanctuary, formerly a Khmer-Hindu shrine but later converted into a Buddhist monastery, is surrounded by a moat. It is second in importance to Wat Mahathat. Inside, there are three prangs like Wat Si-Sawai, but the southern and the central ones have crumbled leaving only the northern one decorated with stucco figures. In front of these prangs are a viham and a crumbled chedi; the later has a pedestal decorated with stucco seated Buddha images. A mondop contains Buddha images in four postures; sitting, reclining, standing, and walking. They are now all in ruins. A Sivalinga (Phallic emblem of Hindu gods) was unearthed in the compound of this sanctuary.

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Ruins of The Old Celadon Factory (Thuriang Kiln)

Thuriang Kiln is a site where Sukhothai celadons were made. Kilns exist in an area measuring 100 by 700 meters. Each kiln is divided into three sections; the fire area, the pottery baking oven, and the flue. The pottery found here is usually decorated by three different painted designs on their bottom: a disc, a fish, and a flower. Forty-nine kilns and small edifices are visible. To the north, a pond has been dug into the stone.

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Wat Sangkhawat

This lies about 1,980 metres north of Wat Mahathat. The viharn enshrines a stucco image of Sukhothai style. Behind stands a Singhalese-style chedi. To the south, a brick ubosot base is surrounded by slate semas.

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Wat Hin-Tang
This lies about 2,400 metres north of Wat Mahathat. The Singhalese-style brick chedi is supported by a laterite base and surrounded by a lalerite wall. A Sukhothai inscription of Wat Hin-Tang described Buddhist relics and religious rites.

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Wat Khung-Wai
This lies about 300 metres away from Wat Hin Tang.

............................................................................ The Sites in The West Wat Saphan-Hin This is situated on a hill 200 meters high. A pathway of slate slabs leads to the sanctuary yard. ............................................................................ Wat Aranyik Located near Wat Saphan-Hin. In the Aranyik area, dwelling places for monks (kuti), caves, and the bases of ubosots and viharns line the pathway to the sanctuary. ............................................................................ Wat Chang Rob This is situated in the Aranyik area. A chedi is decorated with an elephant emerging from the base. A viharn base and laterite columns are in front of the Chedi. ............................................................................

Phra Ruang Dam
This earthwork dam was formed to hold back water between Phra Bat Yai and Kiew-Ay-Ma Hills and restored by Thailand's Irrigation Department. Water from the dam will be used as a reserve whenever the water level in other reservoirs goes down. This dam is referred to in the Sukhothai inscription.

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Wat Mangkon
A large viharn and a round Singhalese-style chedi are visible. Sangkhalok architectural decorations were found here.

............................................................................ Wat Phra Yun This lies some 2,500 meters west of Wat Mahathat. The viham enshrines a standing Buddha image. ............................................................................ Ho Thewalai Kasetra Phiman The palace of the god in the field nearby Wat Pa-Ma-Muang is a square laterite triple-tiered pedestal. Its form resembles that of a mondop and was probably used to install Hindu images. ............................................................................ Wat Pa-Ma Muang The sanctuary of the Mango Grove is an important one referred to in Sukhothai inscriptions. The base of the Singhalese-style chedi and the ubosot still exist. ............................................................................

Wat Tuk
This lies about 110 meters from Ho-Thewalai. A square window less mondop is the main sanctuary: a viham and chedis are in front.

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South Area

Wat Ton Chan
This is situated outside the southern city wall 1,150 meters away from Wat Mahathat. A brick Singhalese-style chedi enshrines Buddha images in niches. The brick viham contains a handless stucco Buddha image. Fine votive tablets called Sanaechan are found here

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Wat Chetuphon

A mondop enshrines four Buddha images in different postures: sitting, standing, walking, and reclining. The outer walls of the mondop still retains a section in the form of a slate pillar-balustrade window. There is an entrance to the mondop to the north. Just behind the mondop is a small sanctuary which contains a Buddha image known locally as Phra Si Ariya (Maitreya), the Lord Buddha of the Future.

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West Area

Wat Chang Lom

Located to the north of Chotwithithong Road with a bell-shaped chedi of Ceylonese influence standing as the center. The chedi is situated on a 3-tiered square base with a platform decorated with a row of elephants seen by their front halves supporting the round chedi. This type of elephant-decorated chedi is to be seen in many ancient towns of the Sukhothai period; for example, Kamphaeng Phet and Si Satchanalai.

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Wat Traphang Thong Lang
A square mondop is the main sanctuary. In front of the mondop to the east, is the viham and beyond the viham stands an ubosot. The outer wall of the mondop is beautifully decorated by stucco figures in niches. The southern side portrays the Lord Buddha flanked by angels descending from Tavatimsa Heaven. To the west portrays the Lord Buddha preaching to his father and relatives. The northern side depicts the episode when the Lord Buddha returned to preach to his wife. These stucco figures, especially those on the south side, are masterpieces of Sukhothai art.

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Wat Chedi Sung
This is situated near Wat Traphang Thong Lang. The upper part of the chedi is round. The base is constructed in three tiered stages. This interesting Sukhothai type of chedi is of Sivijaya and Singhalese-styles. In front of the chedi stands a small viharn.