Wat Ratburana

The shell of the Ubosot with the prang in the background.

 
About halfway between the current town center and the ruins of the royal palaces is Wat Ratburana. Established in 1424 by King Boromaraja II, the temple was built to hold the ashes of his elder brothers, who killed each other in battle -- on elephant back -- fighting over the throne.

The temple's tall prang is better preserved that Wat Phra Ram, with many nagas, garudas and other statues beautifully rendered in stucco. Inside the prang is a crypt of sorts in which, during restorations in 1957, a whole wealth of relics was recovered. These can now be seen in the Chao Sam Phraya Museum near the main ruins.

Admission Fees

There is a fee of 30 Baht (10 Baht for Thai nationals) to enter the grounds of Wat Ratburana. The temple is open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm every day.