Wat Ko Kaeo วัดเกาะแก้ว - The Crystal Island Temple - Ayutthaya Thailand 2023

Wat Ko Kaeo วัดเกาะแก้ว

Wat Ko Kaeo or the Monastery of the Crystal Island is an active temple located off the city island in the eastern area of Ayutthaya. The monastery is situated on the east bank of the Pa Sak River on an island formed by Khlong Khao San in the north and Khlong Khanom Tan in the south, and confluence at the mouth of
Khlong Dusit.

North of the temple is Wat Kluei
and further south lies Wat Phanan Choeng. Opposite the monastery on the west bank of
the river lies Wat Ratana Chai (Wat Jin).

In situ is a large and prosperous monastic complex. The ordination hall (ubosot)
stands in the classic east-west alignment facing the Pa Sak river. The ubosot, built in the
Late Ayutthaya style, has two elevated porches each with four columns supporting the two tiered roof. Each porch has two entries. The southern and northern walls have five rectangular windows. The structure is surrounded by an inner wall, called kamphaeng
kaeo (crystal wall), separating the monastic world from the secular world.

The site has numerous chedis and open-sided pavilions (sala). A shrine is dedicated to King Taksin, commemorating his escape from the area here through the Burmese encirclement in
December 1766, and his return to the former war zone after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 to oust a Burmese proxy at Pho Sam Ton and to restore the internal order in Siam.

He established the capital in Thonburi and reigned for 15 years. The monastery was
established in the Early Rattanakosin period, during the reign of Rama I.

Ko Kaeo or Crystal Island is mentioned a few times in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya was on three sides surrounded by the Lopburi River, but the eastern city border was its weakest point in 1568, as at that time there was only a moat between Ratanachai Gate in the north and Kaeo Island in the south.

The Burmese in making preparations for the attack of Ayutthaya made earthen causeways towards the Siamese front ramparts at three points. One of these points was the corner of Ko Kaeo, where the King of Ava was positioned. The Siamese on Crystal Island could not withstand the Burmese land attack, additionally supported on the flanks by a naval force (likely on both canals surrounding Ko Kaeo). The Siamese fled into their stockade and the wall on the corner of the island was penetrated and destroyed. The loss of Crystal Island would finally lead to the first fall of the City of Ayutthaya in 1569.

Phraya Boran Rachathanin wrote in the late twenties of last century that the ordination
hall (ubosot) of the monastery at that time had collapsed nearly completely in the water.
There was a boat ferry between Wat Ko Kaeo and the landing at Wat Suwan across the
river.

Today the temple is active with monks in residence. There is a lot of new construction as well as the historic temple, Wat Prasat. Wat Prasat has been partially restored and is on the east side of the main temple. It is not part of where tourists go but is very popular with Thais that do day trips from Bangkok to Ayutthaya on the weekends.

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