Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit, Buddhist vihara in Pratu Chai, Thailand
Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit is a vihara in Pratu Chai within the historic city of Ayutthaya that shelters a large bronze Buddha statue. The white building rises with its multi-tiered roof and gilded gable decorations above a paved courtyard.
The building dates originally from the fifteenth century and stood first outdoors next to a palace. After destruction in the eighteenth century, the hall was rebuilt in the mid-twentieth century.
Local Buddhist practitioners gather daily at the vihara to perform merit-making rituals and offer flowers, incense, and candles to the Buddha statue.
Access is through the main entrance at the square in front of the white building, which is also usable for wheelchair users. Visitors should cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before entering the hall.
The bronze statue carries traces of several repairs and was once covered with gold, of which a few remnants remain visible. The figure used to stand in the open air before being moved into the current hall.
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