Wat Ratchanatdaram ( th, วัดราชนัดดาราม, ) is a
buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
(
wat
A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」 (w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...
) located at the intersection between
Ratchadamnoen Klang and Maha Chai Road, in
Phra Nakhon district,
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
.
Meaning ''Temple of the Royal Niece'', the temple was built to the order of King
Nangklao
Nangklao ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว, ; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), birth name Thap ( th, ทับ), also styled Rama III, was the third king of Siam ...
(Rama III) for his granddaughter, Princess
Somanass Waddhanawathy in 1846.
Loha Prasat
Loha Prasat, which means iron castle or iron monastery (โลหะปราสาท), is composed of five towers, of which the outer, middle and the center towers contain large black iron spires. The 37 virtues that are required to reach enlightenment are signified by 37 golden spires. The multi-tiered structure consists of 3 levels, the bottom one has 24 spires, the middle one 12 and the top level has 1 spire.
There were two other similar structures which previously existed in the world. Modelled after the earlier ones in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...
,
Sri Lanka, both of which no longer exist. It contained 1,000 rooms with a golden spire on top. Another one, built in Sri Lanka, had nine floors and the roof was thatched with copper. Precious stones, wood and ivory decorated the walls.
The design of Loha Prasat almost appears Burmese, but in fact this is a copy of old Buddhist design found in Sri Lanka. In the early nineteenth century, it was begun construct by King Rama III.
A pyramid like structure created by the outer building is the widest, The next one smaller than the previous one. At the ground floor level of the tower you will find a labyrinth environment was supported by a great number of columns. Plenty of pictures are describing the history of structure in some of the corridors were installed in late 2007.
The Loha Prasat was modeled after the one in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is the only one of its kind that exists today. It was submitted to UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site in 2005.
Gallery
Wat Ratchanatdaram-01.jpg
Wat Ratchanatdaram-02.jpg
Wat Ratchanatdaram-03.jpg
Wat Ratchanatdaram-04.jpg
Wat Ratchanatdaram-05.jpg
Wat Ratchanatdaram-06.jpg
Wat Ratchanatdaram-07.jpg
Wat Ratchanatdaram-08.jpg
(2019) วัดราชนัดดารามวรวิหาร เขตพระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร (2).jpg
References
http://bangkokforvisitors.com/ratanakosin/loha-prasat/
travel.com/temples/wat-ratchanadda.html
Phlainoi, S. (2555). Lao ruang Bangkok chabap sombunnn. Krung Thep...: Phimkham.
External links
Loha Prasat - The Metal CastleWat Ratchanadda (The Loha Prasat)Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan
Ratchanadda
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1846
Phra Nakhon district
Registered ancient monuments in Bangkok
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