Attraction Details :
Wat
Yai Chaimongkol was originally named Wat Pa Kaew or Wat Chaoprayathai.
It is situated at the east side of Pa Sak River. As the history said, it
was assumed that King U-Thong built this temple as the place for the
monks who came back from the ordainment in Sri Lanka to stay. This monk
group’s name is “Pa Kaew” that is why this temple was also named Wat Pa
Kaew. Then, the impieties of this group have appointed the leader as
Somdet Pra Wanrat and is also the right patriarch with the Pra
Puttakosajan as the left patriarch. After that, they changed the name of
the temple to “Wat Chaoprayathai” which was assumed that this name came
from the reason that King U-Thong built this temple at the cremation
place of Chao Kaew Chai Thai or might be the reason that this temple is
the dwelling place of the right patriarch which was originally called
“Chao Thai”.
This temple also had a bond with King
Naraesuan’s reign. In year 1592, when King Naraesuan conquered the war
with King Uparat of Myanmar at Tambol Nongsarai, Supanburi, he built a
big chedi as the signal of the conquest. It was not clear whether it was
a new chedi or a restoration of an old one. However, it was named
“Chaimongkol Chedi”. The people called it “Chedi Yai”. After that, it
was combined together to “Wat Yai Chaimongkol”. However, it was
abandoned after the 2nd fall of Ayuttaya. It was then restored again
during the Rattanakosin Kingdom.
The interesting thing inside the
temple is the chedi and the viharn which was built during King
Naraesuan’s Kingdom. Nowadays, there is the King Naraesuan’s palace
which is the attraction of many tourists.
Wat Yai Chaimongkol is opened daily
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with 20 THB admission fee. The tourists can
retrieve more information at 035-242-640 or www.watyaichaimongkol.net
The travelling route to this temple
starts from Bangkok to Ayuttaya, take the left turn as soon as you see
the Chedi Wat Sam Pluem. Go straight for 1 kilometer and Wat Yai
Chaimongkol is on the left side.
Map
http://www.tourismthailand.org/fileadmin/upload_img/Multimedia/Ebrochure/475/วัดใหญ่ชัยมงคล.pdf
