B) SUKHOTHAI HISTORICAL PARK - OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS
THE SITES OT THE NORTH
1. WAT PHRA PHAI LUANG
This temple lies 500 m north of San Luang Gate ( northern gate) . This sanctuary , formerly a Khmer Hindu Shrine but later converted into a Buddhist temple is surrounded by a moat . It is second in importance to Wat Mahathat . Inside, there are 3 prangs like Wat Si Sawai, but the southern and the central ones have crumbled leaving only the northern one that shows the beautiful decoration of stucco chedi. In front of these prangs are a wihan and a crumbled chedi; the latter has a pedestal decorated with stucco of sitting Buddha images. A mondop contains ruined Buddha images in 4 postures -- sitting , reclining , standing and walking. A Sivalinga 9 phallic emblem of Hindu gods) was unearthed in the compound of this sanctuary.
2. RUINS OF THE OLD CELADON FACTORY ( THURIANG KILN)
Thuriang Kiln is a site where Sukhothai celadons were made. Kilns found in this area measuring 100m by 700 m. Each kiln is divided into 3 sections; the fire area, the baking oven and the fuel. The pottery unearthed here mostly has 3 painted designs on the bottom - a disc , a fish and a flower. Forty nine kilns and small edifices are found and there is a pond which was dug into the stone located to the north of the site.
3. WAT SI CHUN
This lies about 1500 m north of Wat Mahathat and was originally surrounded by moat. A square mondop ( an edifice which is square in plan, cubicle in form with a pyramidal superstructure for roofing) , which is the main sanctuary , contains a monumental stucco over brick Buddha image in the attitude of Subduing Mara, called Phra Achana. This Buddha measures 11.3 m from knee to knee. The width of the mondop is 32 meters on each side and the height is 15 meters while the walls are 3 meters thick. There are remains of the passageway in the left inner wall which leads to the above crossbeam. On the ceiling of the passageway are more than fifty engraved slate slabs illustrating scenes from the Jakarta epic.
THE SITES TO THE EAST
a)WAT SAPHAN HIN
Situated on a 200 metre high hill, the sanctuary is approached by a pathway of slate slabs.
b)WAT CHANG ROP
This temple features a bell shaped chedi on a square base decorated with 24 sculptures of elephant, which is the origin of the name of the temple " chang rop" which means " surrounded by elephants"
c)PHRA RUANG DAM
This earthwork dam was built to hold back water between Khao Phra Bat Yai and Khao Kio - Ai - Ma since the ancient period and was referred to in the famous Sukhothai stone inscription. It was later restored by the Irrigation Department.
THE SITES TO THE SOUTH
a)WAT CHETUPHON
This temple features a mondop enshrining 4 Buddha images in different postures- sitting , standing, walking and reclining .The outer walls of the mondop still retain a section in the form of a slate pillar with balustrade window. There is an entrance to the mondop to the north. Just behind the mondop is a small sanctuary which contains a Buddha image known locally as Phra Si Ariya Mettrai , the Future Lord Buddha.
THE SITES TO THE EAST
a)WAT CHANG LOM
This temple is located to the north of Charot Withithong Road with a bell shaped chedi of Ceylonese influence standing at the centre, The chedi is situated on a 3 tiered square base with a platform decorated with rows of elephants. This type of elephant decorated chedi is to be seen in many ancient towns of the Sukhothai period; for example Kamphaeng Phet and Si Sathcanalai.
b) WAT TRAPHANG THONGLANG
The main sanctuary of this temple is a square mondop , with a wihan to the east and ubosot standing beyond the wihan. Surrounding the mondop is outer wall which is beautifully decorated with stucco figures in niches. The southern side portrays the Lord Buddha flanked by angles descending from Tavatimsa Heaven ( the second heaven in Buddhist 6 heavens) .The west side portrays the Lord Buddha preaching to his father and relatives. The north side depicts the episode when the Lord Buddha returned to preach to his wife. These stucco figures, especially those on the south side, are masterpieces of Sukhothai art.
THE SITES OT THE NORTH
1. WAT PHRA PHAI LUANG
This temple lies 500 m north of San Luang Gate ( northern gate) . This sanctuary , formerly a Khmer Hindu Shrine but later converted into a Buddhist temple is surrounded by a moat . It is second in importance to Wat Mahathat . Inside, there are 3 prangs like Wat Si Sawai, but the southern and the central ones have crumbled leaving only the northern one that shows the beautiful decoration of stucco chedi. In front of these prangs are a wihan and a crumbled chedi; the latter has a pedestal decorated with stucco of sitting Buddha images. A mondop contains ruined Buddha images in 4 postures -- sitting , reclining , standing and walking. A Sivalinga 9 phallic emblem of Hindu gods) was unearthed in the compound of this sanctuary.
2. RUINS OF THE OLD CELADON FACTORY ( THURIANG KILN)
Thuriang Kiln is a site where Sukhothai celadons were made. Kilns found in this area measuring 100m by 700 m. Each kiln is divided into 3 sections; the fire area, the baking oven and the fuel. The pottery unearthed here mostly has 3 painted designs on the bottom - a disc , a fish and a flower. Forty nine kilns and small edifices are found and there is a pond which was dug into the stone located to the north of the site.
3. WAT SI CHUN
This lies about 1500 m north of Wat Mahathat and was originally surrounded by moat. A square mondop ( an edifice which is square in plan, cubicle in form with a pyramidal superstructure for roofing) , which is the main sanctuary , contains a monumental stucco over brick Buddha image in the attitude of Subduing Mara, called Phra Achana. This Buddha measures 11.3 m from knee to knee. The width of the mondop is 32 meters on each side and the height is 15 meters while the walls are 3 meters thick. There are remains of the passageway in the left inner wall which leads to the above crossbeam. On the ceiling of the passageway are more than fifty engraved slate slabs illustrating scenes from the Jakarta epic.
THE SITES TO THE EAST
a)WAT SAPHAN HIN
Situated on a 200 metre high hill, the sanctuary is approached by a pathway of slate slabs.
b)WAT CHANG ROP
This temple features a bell shaped chedi on a square base decorated with 24 sculptures of elephant, which is the origin of the name of the temple " chang rop" which means " surrounded by elephants"
c)PHRA RUANG DAM
This earthwork dam was built to hold back water between Khao Phra Bat Yai and Khao Kio - Ai - Ma since the ancient period and was referred to in the famous Sukhothai stone inscription. It was later restored by the Irrigation Department.
THE SITES TO THE SOUTH
a)WAT CHETUPHON
This temple features a mondop enshrining 4 Buddha images in different postures- sitting , standing, walking and reclining .The outer walls of the mondop still retain a section in the form of a slate pillar with balustrade window. There is an entrance to the mondop to the north. Just behind the mondop is a small sanctuary which contains a Buddha image known locally as Phra Si Ariya Mettrai , the Future Lord Buddha.
THE SITES TO THE EAST
a)WAT CHANG LOM
This temple is located to the north of Charot Withithong Road with a bell shaped chedi of Ceylonese influence standing at the centre, The chedi is situated on a 3 tiered square base with a platform decorated with rows of elephants. This type of elephant decorated chedi is to be seen in many ancient towns of the Sukhothai period; for example Kamphaeng Phet and Si Sathcanalai.
b) WAT TRAPHANG THONGLANG
The main sanctuary of this temple is a square mondop , with a wihan to the east and ubosot standing beyond the wihan. Surrounding the mondop is outer wall which is beautifully decorated with stucco figures in niches. The southern side portrays the Lord Buddha flanked by angles descending from Tavatimsa Heaven ( the second heaven in Buddhist 6 heavens) .The west side portrays the Lord Buddha preaching to his father and relatives. The north side depicts the episode when the Lord Buddha returned to preach to his wife. These stucco figures, especially those on the south side, are masterpieces of Sukhothai art.
