Wat Phra Phai Luang Sukhothai Historical Park - Khmer Era Temple - Thailand 2024 With Drone Footage

The largest of the three Khmer-era temples still standing at Sukhothai, Wat Phra Phai Luang วัดพระพายหลวง is north of the old city walls and east of Wat Si Chum.

It was built in the early 13th century during rhe reign of Khmer King Jayavarman VII. This area appears to have been at the core of the Khmer city. It would have been important until they built to the south, making Wat Mahathat their spiritual center.

Wat Phra Phai Luang originally had three laterite prang towers (similar in style but bigger than those at nearby Wat Si Sawai) on a short laterite base, but only the northern one still stands complete.

These towers are mentioned in Thailand’s famous Ramkhamhaeng Inscription: “North of this city of Sukhothai there is a market, there is the Phra Achana Buddha, there are prasats, coconut groves, upland and lowland farms, homesteads, and large and small villages.”

The south and middle towers have toppled and only some lower parts of the walls are still erect. The middle tower has side chambers, so it was significantly larger than the other two. The middle tower’s entrance is now in the rear, but it would not have been this way in the Khmer era.

When the Thais expelled the Khmer in 1238 and founded the Sukhothai kingdom they converted this temple to Theravada Buddhism and greatly expanded it.

It is one of the oldest monuments in the area and features a unique blend of Khmer and Thai architectural styles. The temple is a must visit for those interested in history and culture.

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