Wat Na Phra Men

When Burmese forces sacked Ayutthaya in 1767 they burned and looted the city comprehensively; Wat Na Phra Men survived - one explanation is that the Burmese used it as a command post and gun position - and it is the only major temple in the old city with its ordination hall intact rather than reduced to foundations. Inside sits Phra Buddha Nimit, named by Rama III, a bronze Buddha about six metres tall in royal attire - crowned and jewelled, a form representing the Buddha subduing a proud king - and one of the largest crowned bronzes of the Ayutthaya period. In a smaller viharn beside it is Phra Khantharat, a green stone seated Buddha in the European posture with both feet on the ground, which is Dvaravati work from around the seventh to ninth century, far older than Ayutthaya, brought here from elsewhere. The wooden ceiling of the main hall is carved, gilded and set with coloured glass, and the temple has been a registered monument since 1935.

The main sights

• The intact hall - the only major Ayutthaya ubosot to survive 1767.
• Phra Buddha Nimit - a six-metre crowned and jewelled bronze Buddha.
• Phra Khantharat - a Dvaravati green stone Buddha seated European-style.
• The carved ceiling - gilded woodwork set with coloured glass.

When to go

November to February. Mornings are quietest. An hour covers it, and it is a short ride from the historical park across the canal.

Good to know

Small charge to enter. The halls are dim and photography of the images is difficult. Temple dress code applies. It is a single-temple visit of about an hour.

Nearby

Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the old palace are across the canal; Wat Phu Khao Thong is north-west.

Key facts