Ubosot Wat Na Phramen

Keywords : Ubosot, Wat Na Phramen, Wat Merura Chikaram

Site common name	Wat Merura Chikaram
Site alternative name	Wat Na Phramen
Type of artwork	Architecture
Sub district	Lumphli
District	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Province	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Region	Central
Country	Thailand
Geographic Coordinates Decimal degree	Lat : 14.3626 Long : 100.55877
Geographic Coordinates UTM	Zone : 47 P Hemisphere : N E : 668083.86 N : 1588395.96
Place of artwork	At the centre of the compound

History of production	An accurate history of Wat Na Phramen is unknown as no mention of the temple was made in the royal chronicles. However, according to a legend, this temple was built by Phra Ong In, wife of King Ramathibodi II in 1503. The title of the temple suggests that this compound was erected on the cremation grounds of the Ayutthaya royalty as well as its location which is situated to the north of the ancient palace bordered by the original course of the Lopburi River. The temple should undergo several restorations and renovations since the Ayutthaya period despite the lack of documentation. However, by investigating and comparative studying of the styles of art, the vertical narrow outlets of this ubosot are in the geometric shape which is similar to the ones in the gallery of King Prasat Thong’s Wat Chaiwatthanaram as well as those of the Viharn Luang of Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat Ayutthaya which was possibly renovated in his reign as well. This suggestively indicates that Wat Na Phramen should be hugely renovated by King Prasat Thong.
Conservation	The site was listed and declared an ancient monument in the Government Gazette no. 52, part 75, on 8 March 1935. Wat Phramen underwent an important archaeological excavation and restoration during 1998-1999. Fieldworks were operated around the area of Phra Prang, three round chedis located to the northeast of the compound after which restoration and maintenance works were began.
Art	This ubosot was built with brick and covered with plaster. It is oriented toward the south facing the original course of the Lopburi River. It was erected on a rectangular floor plan with verandas at the front and the back. There are two entrances at the front wall with one large window, also two entrances at the back wall and vertical narrow outlets on the side walls. The superstructure is a three-tiered pediment roof of a wooden structure and tiles. The front part of the roof deeply protrudes to cover the front veranda. The roof also projects into the space of its either sides which are supported by a row of the Phalai pilasters.
Key academic information	The ubosot of Wat Na Phramen had been restored in the reign of King Rama III of the Rattanakosin period and again in the reign of King Rama IX. Despite the renovations, the ubosot still perfectly exemplify the roofed building of the Ayutthaya period. The ubosot shows the structure and style of building with vertical narrow outlets for windows which is a preference in the early to middle Ayutthaya period. This could serve as a model of a reconstruction of other buildings.
Period	Historical Period
Art period	Ayutthaya
Age	Ca. the 17th to 18th century AD.
Religion	Buddhism
Sect	Theravada
Religion and belief	Theravada Buddhism
Related artwork	The site was listed and declared an ancient monument in the Government Gazette no. 52, part 75, on 8 March 1935. Wat Phramen underwent an important archaeological excavation and restoration during 1998-1999. Fieldworks were operated around the area of Phra Prang, three round chedis located to the northeast of the compound after which restoration and maintenance works were began.

Type of License	Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
Rights	Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation	2015-05-12
Record creator	Rungroj Thamrungraeng
Bibliography	ศิลปากร, กรม. พระราชวังและวัดโบราณในจังหวัดพระนครศรีอยุธยา. พระนคร : สำนักทำเนียบนายกรัฐมนตรี, 2511. ศิลปากร, กรม. ทะเบียนโบราณสถาน. กรุงเทพฯ : กรมศิลปากร, 2532. สันติ เล็กสุขุม. ศิลปะอยุธยา งานช่างหลวงแห่งแผ่นดิน. กรุงเทพฯ : เมืองโบราณ, 2542. ห้างหุ้นส่วนจำกัด บูรพคดี. รายงานการขุดแต่งออกแบบและบูรณะโบราณสถานวัดหน้าพระเมรุ ตำบลท่าวาสุกรี อำเภอพระนครศรีอยุธยา จังหวัดพระนครศรีอยุธยา. กรุงเทพฯ: บูรพคดี, 2542.