Pra Pathom Chedi today,
built over ancient chedi
Pra Pathom Chedi replica
of underlying ancient chedi
The chedi to the right is of merged Indian and Khmer styles, and is now covered over by the new chedi. The replica was created under King Rama 4 during first phase of "reconstruction", and stands in the south of the complex.
The Phra Pathom Chedi, located about an hour from Bangkok by bus, may house the oldest Buddhist structure in Thailand, dating a little more than 2000 years ago. You cannot see the original chedi because it has been encased by the new chedi and nobody is allowed inside except the birds who can fly thru the holes. Thus, it's not like travelling to Egypt or Greece or Rome. However, some ornaments, statues and other objects from different periods are on display along the outside of the chedi as well as at a nearby museum. (Many others were carted away by various military conquests, mainly by the Burmese and to a lesser degree by the Khmers over the centuries