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Wat Suwan Dararam Ratchaworawihan   -  
วัดสุวรรณดารามราชวรวิหาร
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 Known as:  
 Description: Wat Suwandararam is located on the city island near the Pom Phet fortress. There are
two entrances along U-Thong Road leading to this active monastery.
During the Ayutthaya period, this area had a thriving community of Chinese traders. It
was full of warehouses for maritime markets, and foreign boats were required to dock in
the nearby harbor. A canal wrapped around Wat Suwandararam, which led to the Pom
Phet and Pom Hor Rajakuk fortresses. There monastery may be pictured in several
maps by foreigners. The 1660 Dutch map by Vingboons clearly show a temple at this
location. The 1751 map by de La Mare lists a Chinese pagoda in the area. These may
have been precursors to the construction of Wat Suwandararam.

Wat Suwandararam was build by the father of King Yodfa (Rama I) of the Chakri
dynasty, who was named Thongdee (Kasetsiri & Wright 114).  The temple was formerly
known as Wat Thong (Golden Temple) in the Late Ayutthaya period. King Yodfa later
renamed it after obtaining the throne. While Phraya Tak ruled in Thonburi, Yodfa (them
named Thong Duang) was his most trusted military general. Thong Duang went on
numerous military campaigns during Phraya Tak’s reign, including a successful invasion
of Lao. However, in 1782, a group of rebels killed the governor of Ayutthaya and
marched toward Thonburi. These rebels were able to force Phraya Tak to abdicate his
throne (Terwiel 58-60). In the political aftermath, Phraya Tak was executed, and Thong
Duang eventually obtained the throne - creating the new Chakri dynasty. As a result,
Wat Suwandararam became one of the first monasteries in Ayutthaya to receive royal
patronage after the fall of the city in 1767, and this temple continued to be beautified by
future Chakri Kings.
 Province Ayutthaya  Direction:
 District A. Mueang
 City Pratuchai  Comments:  Official Web: Link to Official web site  
 Genre Temple  Related links:    
 Best exposure AM/PM  
 Rating  
 Opening time n/a  
 Entry fee Free GPS : 14.34828 N 100.57894 E  
 
                     
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