Wat Awat Yai

Wat Awat Yai is at the northern end of the Aranyik area, near the north entrance and the information center. Like most of the other temples, it is dated to the fifteenth or sixteenth centuries. As was typical for temples of its day, the temple had a large platform which supported the main prayer hall (wiharn) and behind this was a tall bell-shaped pagoda (chedi). Only the base of the chedi still exists at Wat Awat Yai, but it suggests the height of the pagoda must have been quite impressive.

The wiharn is flanked in front by two L-shaped platforms, each supporting several small pagodas. Further away from the wiharn to the east is a large rectangular pond. It's quite deep, which suggests it was also a well. When the temples of the Aranik were built, all people had to do was dig down three or four meters through the layer of laterite that provided the building materials for the temple to hit the water table. You will see many wells in the compounds of most of the temples.

Owing to the large area covered by the temple, as well as the generous size of the monk's cells (kuti) it's assumed that Wat Awat Yai was the home of senior monks.