Wat Chaiwatthanaram was built as a memorial for King Thong’s mother. There is an underlying political story behind it. When Prasat Thong (Wikipedia Article)’s mother died, he invited the previous king, King Chetthathirat’s top advisers, to attend the funeral. The King had also scheduled a gathering at the same time as the funeral service, and he became furious when none of his advisors showed up. He blamed Prasat Thong and waged war against him. In the end, Prasat Thong won the battle and overthrew the King, and he was proclaimed king instead. And his first undertaking as king was to build the Wat. The temple has become a place for religious ceremonies, including cremations and burials of princes and princesses.
The Wat is composed of a central “prang”, or spire, that is 35 meters high. Smaller spires sit at its immediate four corners. At the outer perimeter walls, there is a total of eight “chedis”, or stupas, standing at the corners and at the sides. The exterior walls illustrate the life of Buddha through relief sculptures, while the interior walls are adorned with paintings. The chedis were originally painted gold and black, and inside them are statues of Buddhas, which are now chipped off and crumbled. As one of Thailand’s more valuable and eminent landmarks, thousands of tourists visit it every year.
Though rustic and deteriorating, Wat Chaiwatthanaram is still an inspiring sight to see. The lush landscape complements the reddish color of the temple buildings. For centuries until today, it is still considered a place for spiritual contemplation and reflection