Statue of King Narai the Great This statue is situated at the entrance of the town.
It was erected to honour King Narai the Great who made Lop
Buri an important and prosperous town. He commanded many
magnificent structures built in this town including the
Phra Narai Ratchaniwet Palace, several fortifications and
a Buddhist sanctuary. He was the first one to apply modern
technology in the observatory and in laying terracotta pipes
to supply water to the palace.
As for his foreign policy, King Narai
was the first Thai monarch who established diplomatic relations
with France and attributed friendly policy towards other
foreigners. Especially the Europeans.
Phra Prang Sam Yot
This former Hindu shrine is some 200 metres from the railway
station and is Lob Buri's best known landmark. The laterite
and sandstone structure was constructed in the Lop Buri
style and decorated with stucco. Adjoining towers signify
the Hindu Trinity of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver,
and Shiva the destroyer. During the reign of King Narai,
the shrine was converted to a Buddhist Temple.
San Phra Kan
This former Brahman shrine is adjacent to Phra Prang Sam
Yot. It consists of an ancient Khmer ruin and a shrine constructed
in 1951 for a worshiped four-armed deity figure with a Buddha
image's head. The monkeys living in the compound sometimes
cause mischief when approached.
Prang Khaek
This charming and petite Khmer ruin is in the market place
on Vichayen Road. The structure was built in the 15th century
as a Hindu shrine with three adjoining towers, but it is
much smaller than Phra Prang Sam Yot. It is considered to
be the oldest monument of Lop Buri.
Wat Phra Si Maha That This temple is located behind the railway station near
Phra Kan Shrine. The Lop Buri style prang or tower fronting
the temple was built around 1157 when the the town was ruled
by the Khmer. The U-Thong style Buddha images on the prang
were added at a late date. The temple was probably restored
during the reign of King Narai the Great.
Vichayen House
was a residence for Chevalier de Chaumont, the first French
ambassador to Thailand during the reign of Louis XVI. Later,
the place was occupied by Chao Phraya Vichayen (a Greek
adventurer Constantine Phaulkon ) until he was executed
by the revolutionaries in 1688. Many ruined buildings dot
the compound, one served as a Roman Catholic chapel. Others
were residences for the ambassador and mission members.
Ruined brick water tanks and fountains are visible.
Narai Ratchaniwet Palace This palace in the town centre was built by King Narai
and took 12 years to be completed (1665-1677). Now the whole
compound has been turned into the Lop Buri National Museum
and houses the following historical buildings:
Water Reservoir
stored water which came through terracotta pipes from Tha-le
Chupson, a large freshwater lake which supplied drinking
water to the inhabitants of Lop Buri.
Phra Khlang Supharat commonly known as the twelve treasure houses, stored
the royal treasures as well as royal goods for selling to
foreign merchants.
Elephant and Horse Stables located close to the wall separating the outer section
of the palace from the middle section.
Chanthon Phisan Phisan Pavilion was built as a royal residence of King Narai in 1665.
It was subsequently used as an audience hall after King
Narai had moved his residence to Suttha Sawan Pavilion.
The building was constructed in pure Thai style, thus indicating
that no French architects were involved in its construction.
The building was restored by King Rama IV in 1863 and is
now used as a hall for displaying archaeological art objects.
Many Lop Buri style stone Buddha images are kept in the
building.
Phiman Mongkut Pavilion is a three-storied brick building used as a residence
of King Rama IV when he visited Lop Buri during the renovation
of the palace. Connected with the pavilion are the other
three buildings namely Suttha Wintchai Pavilion, Chia Sattrakon
Pavilion and Akson Sattrakhom. All of these buildings are
now used as the offices of the Lop Buri National Museum. |
Dusit
Sawan Thanya Maha Prasat Hall King Narai had this building constructed to be used
as an audience hall for high-ranking foreign visitors and
ambassadors. He probably received Chevalier de Chaumont,
King Louis XIV's representative, in this hall. The building
was constructed in a mixed Thai and Western architectural
style.
Suttha Sawan Pavilion This residence is where King Narai died on 11 July,1688,
while the palace was under the control of revolutionaries.
Ruins of the pavilion, artificial hills and fountains remain.
It has been recorded that the pavilion stood amidst a beautiful
garden in which there were many fountains.
Phra Chao Hao Building located in the south of the outer section of the palace
was built, probably as a private audience hall, in Thai
style. Only wall sections remain, but the decorative designs
at the doors and windows are still visible.
Banquet Hall
built to entertain important foreign visitors, is surrounded
on three sides by ponds. A brick platform fronting the hall
may have been a stage or theatre where guests were entertained,
perhaps by shadow plays or dances, after dinner.
Wat San Paulo
This is situated on Ruam Decho Road, some 1.5 Kms. east
of the town. It was originally a church of the Jesuits founded
during the reign of King Narai, and also the first observatory
in Asia. Now only a brick wall of a high tower remains behind
the church site. The name "San Paulo" called by
Thais probably derive from "Saint Paul".
Wat Sao Thong Thong is to the north of the Royal Palace. The wihara and
the main Buddha image were created in the Ayutthaya period.
Later, King Narai restored this monastery and changed the
windows of the windows of the wihara into a western style.
Wat Mani Chonlakhan The monastery was originally called Wat Ko Kaeo because
it was located on a small island. Interesting to see are,
Chedi Luang Pho Saeng, the ubosot, the wihara and the large
Buddha image along the river.
Lop Buri Zoo
This 25-acre enclave is near Sa Kaeo circle. The zoo includes
favourite Asian and Australian birds and mammals. The most
unusual spectacle is that of three tigers and four dogs
living in unique harmony and the love story of a couple
of orangutans.
Wat Khao Wongkot
Located at the foot of Sanam Daeng Mountain, this temple
is noted for a large bat cave where bats fly out around
6.00 p.m.in great numbers to seek food. The temple derives
income from bats' droppings.
Kraison Siharat Hall or Phra Thinang
Yen Located on an island in
a dried up lake, Thale Chupson, formerly supplied drinking
water to Lop Buri residents. This hall was built and used
as a residence of King Narai, Jesuits and Louis XIV's envoys
to witness a lunar eclipse on 11 December, 1685.
Wat Yang Na Rangsi
This temple is located by the Lop Buri River, 9 kms. South
of the town centre on the Lop Buri-Bang Pahan route. The
four Buddha images made of sandstone and quartz in the temple
could have been built during the Lawo period. The old wooden
teaching hall was built in 1927 in a typical style of the
rural central region. After the restoration in 1998, it
was turned into a local boat museum. A collection of local
boats and oars in various types are displayed, particularly
a rare one-seat barge, which plied local waterways in the
old days.
Wat Lai
This Ayutthaya period temple is located on the bank of the
Bang Kham River, Amphoe Tha Wung, some 24 kms. from the
town. It is noted for a chapel decorated with stucco in
various motifs, depicting Lord Buddha's previous life story
and the first sermon. The exquisite craftmanship makes this
a masterpiece of Thai sculpture.
Sunflower Field
Some 45 kms. from the town, Thailand's largest sunflower
plantation in Amphoe Phatthana Nikhom attracts all passersby
when the flowers are in full bloom from November to January.
Nam Tok Wang Kan Luang This 10-tiered waterfall is about 12 kms. from the
Lam Narai Market, Amphoe Chai Badan via Route No. 2089.
Thanks to a nearby underground water source, a flow of water
is visible all year round. |