Wat Rajanaddaram Woravihara (Wat Rajanadda)

Wat Rajanaddaram Woravihara
(Wat Rajanadda)

       Wat Rajanaddaram Woravihara (Wat Rajanadda) is a temple of the early Rattanakosin Period. The temple is situated near the Mahakarn Fort, next to the Maha Chesadabodin Pavilion, which is used to welcome guests of state, and near the Phan Fa Leelas Bridge. King Rama III built the temple on about 25 rai of orchard land in honor of his niece, Princess Somanas Wattanawadee (later Queen of King Rama IV). Both attended the foundation stone laying ceremony in 1846.

       A unique feature of the temple, which can be seen while passing along Ratchadamnoen Road, is the metal prasat, constructed by King Rama III in 1846. Prior to this, only two metal prasat had ever been constructed: the first by Nang Visakha of Sawatthee, who made the spire of the prasat of pure gold, and the second by Thutthakamanee, of Anuradhapura of Lanka in around 161 B.C., in which the roof was covered with copper. King Rama III therefore decided to construct a metal prasat instead of a chedi as in other temples. It is one of only three metal prasat in the world. The prasat is three storeys high and has cast metal roofs on each of the 37 spires. The center of the prasat is hollow and has a spiral staircase of 67 steps that visitors may climb to admire the view.
       The phra ubosot was built in the Thai style, with Chofa and Bai Raka gable decorations, and so it differs from Wat Thepthidaram, which was built in the Chinese style. The ubosot houses the Phra Sethatamamunee image, which was cast from copper in Chanteuk Sub-district, Nakhon Ratchasima, in 1 846. The murals depict astronomical themes.

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Address Location: Wat Ratchanatdaram (Ratchadamnoen Road) Bangkok, Thailand

Tag: Wat Rajanadda  / Wat Rajanaddaram Woravihara / Rajanadda Temple / Rajanaddaram Woravihara Temple / Rajanaddaram Worawihan / Wat Ratchanadda / Wat Ratchanatdaram