Wat Na Phra Meru วัดหน้าพระเมรุ - Restored Traditional Ancient Temple - Ayutthaya Thailand 2024

Wat Na Phra Meru วัดหน้าพระเมรุ

Wat Na Phra Men or the Monastery in Front of the Funeral Pyre, sometimes called Wat Na Phra Meru is located off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya.

The temple was constructed during the reign of King Ramathibodi II (1491-1529). In 1503 the
name was changed to Wat Phra Meru Rachikaram after it became a royal temple.

Wat Phra Meru occupied a prominent place in front of the Royal Palace on the opposite side of rhe Lopburi river. Its name indicates thst it must have been used as a Royal cremation site.

King Chakkraphat (1548-1569) captured a lot of white elephants during his reign and it drew the attention of the Burmese king. The King of Burma requested two of the elephants, a request which was turned down by Siam. In 1563, the King of Burma, Bayinnaung, came with a large army in order to enforce his request. He captured all the cities in the north and descended on Ayutthaya.

King Chakkraphat saw that the Burmese army largely outnumbered his and decided to resolve the issue with diplomacy.

The terms imposed by the King of Burma were severe. Prince Ramesuen, Phya Chakri and Phya Sunthorn Songkhram, the leaders of the war party, were to be delivered up as hostages, an annual tribute of thirty elephants and three hundred catties of silver was to be sent to Burma, and the Burmese were to be granted the right to collect and retain the customs duties of the port of Mergui - then the chief emporium of foreign trade. In addition to this, four white elephants were to be handed over, instead of the two originally demanded.

King Chakkraphat had no choice than deliver up to keep a truce. All Siamese prisoners were released and the Burmese army returned home.

In 1760, the Burmese King Aloungphaya, invaded Ayutthaya. The Burmese positioned their guns at Wat Phra Men and at the Monastery of the Elephant Landing. They started firing on the Grand Palace during the day and the night and were even able to hit and destroy the spire of the palace.

After Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese troops, Wat Na Phra Men was left unattended for more than half a century until Phraya Chai Wichit who was the city mayor in the reign of King Rama III restored it between 1835 and 1838.

The traditional Ayutthayan style was maintained diring this renovation. Phraya Chaivichit gathered the left-over antiquities, which were scattered around the city, so that they could be kept at this temple. More renovations took place in 1914 and 1957.

Today Its still a working temple and worth a stop for anyone in the city. The buildings and artifacts are part of thei history and a real pleasure to see.

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