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Sukhothai Historical Park  -  Wat Phra Phai Luang   
(30) วัดพระพายหลวง  
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 Description:   Located close to the northern gate and outer rampart of Sukhothai, Wat Phra Phai Luang is considered a group of ancient edifices of great significance because its buildings, constructed in different phases, have left impressive evidence of the evolution of Sukhothai art and architecture. This group of ancient monuments was built in the middle of an area, which was enclosed with a moat of 600 metres long for each side. The oldest ancient monuments in this temple are 3 buildings constructed in prasad form (imitated Hindu Shikhara Vimanas). At present, two of them are still in existence with only their bases remaining to be seen. The remaining one in the north is adorned with stuccoes relief depicting the story of Buddha, like those at a prasad of Wat Mahathat in Lop Buri Province and at Palilai Prasad in Angkor, the capital of the Ancient Khmer Kingdom. These stuccoes relief help to confirm the supposition that around the 13th century AD communities in Sukhothai had cultural contact with the Khmer in the reign of Jayavarman VII and were also associated with Lavo (Lop Buri), a Khmer town of importance in the central plain.

To the east of the prasad are located a vihara and a chedi in pyramid shape with every sloping side decorated with superimposed receding porches, which are similar to those of Ku Kut chedi in Lamphun, for enshrining Buddha Images. Moreover, Buddha images in Wat Tra Kuan art style enshrined in closed porches were found underneath those in Sukhothai style. Such a discovery points to the fact that new chedis were rebuilt in different periods to replace the old ones. Located at the eastern extremity of this temple, a mandapa was built to enshrine Buddha Images in four postures, namely sitting, reclining, standing and walking. This mandapa is likely to belong to the late Sukhothai period.
 
 Province   Sukhothai  Direction:      
 District   Mueang    
 City   Mueang Kao  Comments:    Official Web:    
 Genre   Historic      Related links:      
 Best exposure   AM/PM          
 Rating              
 Opening time   N/A          
 Entry fee   Park fee     GPS :   17.02946 N 99.699458 E  
                     
                     
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