Wat Yai Chaimongkol

Wat Yai Chaimongkol,  “the Monastery of Victory”, It is one of the most important temple of Ayutthaya with a long history. The temple was the royal temple constructed by King U Thong, the first king of Ayutthaya in the middle of the 14th century. The highlight of the temple is a large stupa. The stupa of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is one of the landmarks of Ayutthaya. It was built by one of Ayuthaya’s greatest kings, Nareusan the Great, as the memorial for his victory over the Burmese.

There are large Buddha images on each side of the Stupa. There is a gallery surrounding the stupa which is lined with dozens of Buddha images made of brick and stucco. There is a large impressive Reclining Buddha was located at the back of the Chedi , it is a replica made in the 1960s.

The original reclining Buddha statue was constructed during the reign of King Naresuan and was located in a building known as Wihan Phra Phuttha Saiyat. The temple is still the active temple with the monk residence. The ordination hall enshrined the Phra Phuttha Chaiya Mongkhon statue, one of the most sacred Buddha images in Ayutthaya.