Wat Chaiwatthanaram

Wat Chaiwatthanaram is a Buddhist temple in Ban Pom, Thailand, standing on the west bank of the Chao Phraya. The compound shows a central tower rising 35 meters (115 feet), surrounded by four smaller towers and eight chedis on a rectangular platform.

King Prasat Thong ordered the temple built in 1630 to honor the site where his mother lived before he took the throne. The Burmese army destroyed the compound during their 1767 invasion, and restoration work only began in the 20th century.

The temple name joins Thai words for victory and long life, and its walls carry stucco reliefs showing scenes from the Buddha's life. Visitors often see worshippers praying to the stone Buddha statues placed in the tower niches, while monks walk through the restored sections of the compound.

The compound sits about three kilometers southwest of Ayutthaya's historic center and can be reached by bicycle or by boat from the river. The steep stairs to the towers require sturdy footwear, and visitors should cover shoulders and knees as is common at active religious sites.

Beneath the central platform, hidden passages run between different sections of the compound, forming a network of corridors that most visitors never notice. Archaeologists believe these passages were once used for ceremonies or to store religious objects.