Introducing Wat Phra That Bang Phuan
Boasting a beautiful and ancient Indian-style stupa, Wat Phra That Bang Phuan (daylight hours) is one of the region’s most sacred sites, not least because some of the Buddha’s bones are supposedly buried here. It is similar to the original chedi beneath the Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom, but while it is presumed that this stupa dates back to the early centuries AD, no one really knows when either was built.
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In 1559 King Jayachettha of Chanthaburi (not the present Chanthaburi in Thailand, but Wiang Chan – now known as Vientiane – in Laos) extended his capital across the Mekong and built a newer, taller Lao-style chedi over the original as a demonstration of faith (just as King Mongkut did in Nakhon Pathom). Rain caused the chedi to lean precariously and in 1970 it finally fell over. The Fine Arts Department restored it in 1976 and 1977. The current chedi stands 34.25m high on a 17.2-sq-metre base and has several unsurfaced chedi around it, which give the temple an ancient atmosphere.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
