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Arts in Southeast Asia Database
ArchitecturePhra Viharn Luang Wat Suthat Thepphawararam
King Rama I ordered to build Wat Maha Suthawas in 1807 for installing Luang Por To or Phra Sri Shakyamuni, which was moved from Phra Viharn Luang Wat Mahathat Sukhothai, in its vihara. However, the construction was completed in the reign of King Rama III, who gave the new name as Wat Suthat Thepphawararam.
ArchitecturePhra Prang Wat Aroonrajwararam
Phra Prang Wat Aroonrajwararam shows the further Ayutthaya prang-typed stupa, which the platform is wider and curved pyramidal pedestals decorated by Pholbaek figures. The anda has Indra riding Erawan elephant, instead of buddha image, in the niche on each side, whose top lies a smaller prang. The Indra Pholbaek figures lead the scholar to believe that the stupa should be related to Culamani stupa or Mount Sumeru at the centre of the universe. The top of the stupa is decorated by tiered Kleep Khanoon and the sum of the peaks are five.
ArchitectureLoha Prasat
Loha Prasat is three-storey brick and stucco building in a square plan with 37 metallic spires. It was drilled as niches from the foundation to the top. The main core used a large high log, whose trunk was punctured into a spiral staircase leading to the upstairs. Later, Loha Prasat was restored by using reinforced concrete.
ArchitecturePhra Ubosot Wat Racha Orasaram
Phra Ubosot Wat Racha Orasaram is a large brick-and-stucco building with large veranda pillars without lotus-shaped echinus. The roof is also made from bricks and drops the traditional elements at the cornice, for instancec, Chorfah, Bairaka and Hang Hong. Its pediment shows some features from Chinese Art, such as Chinese procelain and symbols. The upper pediment show a bouquet and a large vase at the centre and surrounded by a pair of dragons, a pair of phoenixes and other blessing symbols. The lower pediment shows the scenery consists of a house, mountain, Khao Mo, trees and animals.
ArchitecturePhra Borom Banpot
Chedi Phukhao Thong is a golden bell-shaped stupa on the high mound which is surrounded by concrete wall. Two staircases are leading to the open pavilion and there are other two staircases leading to the upper veranda. The character of the stupa is King Rama IV bell-shaped type, which shares some features, such as pyramidal wire pedestals, of Ayutthaya bell-shaped stupa.
ArchitecturePhra Ubosot Wat Benchamabophit Dusitwanaram
Phra ubosot is in projecting cross plan and faces the east The easterm portico is extended, while the duplicated Phra Phuttha Jinaraj is installed in the western wing. The northern and southern porticos are linked to the cloister that leads to the back of the building.The front edge of the boundary stand concrete pillars with lotus-bud-shaped echinus, which signify “Sema”, while the back of the ubosot shows through Dharmacakra Sema on a granite-carved floor tiles. The boundary floor uses pink and gray granite tiles, while the wall is a white marble.The eastern and western porticos have four marble pillars in circular plan. Beside the staircase of each side stand a pair of marble-carved lions, which Prince Naris designed and molded by Khun Sakolpradit, the royal artisan.The exterior door was embossed with Dvarapala, while the interior door was painted the same figure with golden lacquer. The windows use the same technic, however, with Mara Baek. The niches were decorated by stained glass.The roof was built in traditional Thai form with yellow corrugated tiles and Thepphanom at the eaves, which once were the roof tiles of Wat Kalayanamite that later had been coloured in China. The pediment of phra ubosot displays the important state coat of arms. The eastern portico’s pediment displays Vishnu riding Garuda which stands for Phra Krooth Pah emblem. The western portico’s pediment display Unalom in Bussabok which stands for Maha Unalom or Maha Ongkarn emblem. The northern portico’s pediment displays three-headed elephant carrying bussabok which stands for Aiyarapot emblem. The southern portico’s pediment displays Cakra which stands for Cakraroth or Dharmacakra emblem.
ArchitectureAnanta Samakhom Throne Hall
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall is a Italian Renaissance and Neoclassical architecture made from Carrara marble. Its highlight is a large central dome, while other 6 domes can also be seen. The domes were made from copper.Fresco drawings in the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall were accomplished by Galileo Chini and Carlo Riguli, displaying the royal duties of King Rama I – VI.The northern dome exhibits the picture of King Rama I when he was Somdej Chaopraya Mahakasatriyasuek leading his armies back after defeating the Khme. The eastern dome shows the contribution of King Rama II and King Rama III to arts by ordering constructions of the royal temples. Pictures of King Rama IV surrounded by priests of various faiths are shown on the western dome, depicting the king's advocacy of all religion and the southern dome displays King Rama V's abolition of slavery. The eastern dome of the central throne hall displays the picture of King Rama VI sitting on the Bussabokmala throne at the projecting portica of Dusitmahaprasat throne hall when he ascended to the throne in 1911 AD. The central dome and other parts of the hall are decorated with King Rama V's and King Rama VI's monograms – “Chor Por Ror” and “Vor Por Ror”.
ArchitecturePhra Ubosot Wat Rachathiwat
Phra Ubosot faces the west, where the former temple entrance was, and has three doorways. The building can b divided into three parts. The front veranda, the centre area where the rituals are held and the duplicated Phra Samphuttha Phanni is installed under the white nine-tiered parasol. Behind the buddha image is the niche which displays the painting of Vessantara Jataka drawn by Prince Naris and used Fresco paint by an Italian painter, Mr. C. Rigoli. The back part is where the former principal buddha image of the temple, Phra Samphuttha Wadhobhas, installed. The front portico of the ubosot has Lopburi Art cornice, while its pediment consists of the standing buddha image with Abhaya Mudra gesture at the centre and two sitting disciples in the niches. The roof uses blue tiles which both sided eaves are decorated by three Lopburi Art cornices.
