Wat Na Phra Mehn

North of the old royal palace (wang lŏo·ang) grounds is a bridge to Wat Na Phra Mehn. This temple is notable because it escaped destruction when the Burmese overran and sacked the city in 1767. The main bòht was built in 1546 and features fortress-like walls and pillars. The bòht interior contains an impressive carved wooden ceiling and a splendid 6m-high sitting Buddha in royal attire. Inside a smaller wí·hăhn behind the bòht is a green-stone, European-pose (sitting in a chair) Buddha from Ceylon, said to be 1300 years old. The walls of the wí·hăhn show traces of 18th- or 19th-century murals.