Wat Na Phra Men

Ayuthaya


Featuring a gorgeous 6m-high Buddha flanked by maroon columns, this active temple was one of the few to escape the wrath of Burma's invading army in 1767; it survived by serving as the army's main base and weapons storehouse. The bòht (ordination hall) is massive, larger than most modern ones, and the Buddha image wears 'royal attire', which was common in the late Ayuthaya era. Despite what the English sign inside says, the Buddha is made of bronze, not gold.

The petite wí·hăhn (assembly hall) next to the bòht holds a Dvaravati-era sandstone Buddha sitting European-style while a bodhi tree in the back has completely engulfed a stupa and you can see a century-old Buddha head trapped in its roots, similar to that at Wat Mahathat but without the crowds.