| WAT CHANG 1 |
Wat Chang or the "Monastery of the Elephant" is situated off the city island in the
southern area in Pak Kran sub-district (Moo 3). The monastery is located south of
Khlong Takhian and there is evidence that it could have been accessed by a side-canal.
It is an active temple with the classical monastic structures in situ. The ubosot or
ordination hall is aligned in a bit strange northwest-southeast axis. The hall is built in the
Late Ratanakosin style (the base of the structure is not curved). The building has a
double three-tiered roof, of which the lowest roof is supported by four columns on each
of the porches. The two porches are elevated and can be accessed by small naga
staircases on the sides. Both porches has two entries into the ubosot. The gables are
very nicely decorated with Airavata (Th: Erawan), the mount of the God Indra, and
Hongsa, the mount of Lord Brahma (Hindu mythology). There were no traces found of a
chedi.
An information board in situ states that the establishment of Wat Chang dates from the
reign of King Chakkraphat (r. 1548-1569), the King of the White Elephants, at around
1549. The monastery honors its name as all over the premises, sculptured elephants can
be seen.
The historical background and period of construction of the temple are unknown.
The monastery was not mentioned on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926,
neither on the old map of Ayutthaya drafted during the reign of King Rama III.
southern area in Pak Kran sub-district (Moo 3). The monastery is located south of
Khlong Takhian and there is evidence that it could have been accessed by a side-canal.
It is an active temple with the classical monastic structures in situ. The ubosot or
ordination hall is aligned in a bit strange northwest-southeast axis. The hall is built in the
Late Ratanakosin style (the base of the structure is not curved). The building has a
double three-tiered roof, of which the lowest roof is supported by four columns on each
of the porches. The two porches are elevated and can be accessed by small naga
staircases on the sides. Both porches has two entries into the ubosot. The gables are
very nicely decorated with Airavata (Th: Erawan), the mount of the God Indra, and
Hongsa, the mount of Lord Brahma (Hindu mythology). There were no traces found of a
chedi.
An information board in situ states that the establishment of Wat Chang dates from the
reign of King Chakkraphat (r. 1548-1569), the King of the White Elephants, at around
1549. The monastery honors its name as all over the premises, sculptured elephants can
be seen.
The historical background and period of construction of the temple are unknown.
The monastery was not mentioned on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926,
neither on the old map of Ayutthaya drafted during the reign of King Rama III.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - September 2010 |
| (Main entry Wat Chang) |
| (View of the ordination hall) |
| (Gable of the ordination hall) |
| (The bell tower) |
| (Temple premises) |