| WAT LANGKA (วัดลังกา) |
Wat Langka is located along the eastern side of Khlong Makham Riang, which was
known as Khlong Nai Kai during the Ayutthaya period. Naresuan Road is situated just
north of this deserted monastery. Public streets make this ruin easy to access.
In situ is a single prang-shaped stupa in the Khmer style. The stucco designs on this
prang are still visible in some sections, and a headless figure wielding a sword is perched
high above on the southwestern side. There is a hole on the eastern side that can be
entered. The prang’s interior is hollow and full of bats.
There is no record of when this temple was build. However, the Khmer-influenced prang
and geographic location suggests that it was constructed in the early Ayutthaya period.
Royal Chronicles refer to a monastery that might have actually been Wat Langka. After
King Intharacha died in 1424, two of his sons fought on elephant back to win the crown.
Prince Ai Phraya set himself up at the Municipality of Maphrao (coconut) Forest at the
Chai Pavilion, while his brother “Prince Yi Phraya came and set himself up at the
Chaiyaphum Monastery so as to enter the city by way of Cao Phrom Market”
(Cushman 15). Both brothers were killed in the duel at the Than Forest Bridge, so a
third brother inherited the throne instead.
The Khmer-influenced prang was the architectural style used for building stupa in the
Early Ayutthaya period, and Wat Langka is the only monastery in the Chao Phrom area
that has a Khmer prang. There was also coconut grove in the vicinity of Wat Langka,
which a canal was named after (Khlong Maphrao). It is plausible that Wat Langka is one
of those monasteries mentioned in the Royal Chronicles. More research is needed on this
issue.
known as Khlong Nai Kai during the Ayutthaya period. Naresuan Road is situated just
north of this deserted monastery. Public streets make this ruin easy to access.
In situ is a single prang-shaped stupa in the Khmer style. The stucco designs on this
prang are still visible in some sections, and a headless figure wielding a sword is perched
high above on the southwestern side. There is a hole on the eastern side that can be
entered. The prang’s interior is hollow and full of bats.
There is no record of when this temple was build. However, the Khmer-influenced prang
and geographic location suggests that it was constructed in the early Ayutthaya period.
Royal Chronicles refer to a monastery that might have actually been Wat Langka. After
King Intharacha died in 1424, two of his sons fought on elephant back to win the crown.
Prince Ai Phraya set himself up at the Municipality of Maphrao (coconut) Forest at the
Chai Pavilion, while his brother “Prince Yi Phraya came and set himself up at the
Chaiyaphum Monastery so as to enter the city by way of Cao Phrom Market”
(Cushman 15). Both brothers were killed in the duel at the Than Forest Bridge, so a
third brother inherited the throne instead.
The Khmer-influenced prang was the architectural style used for building stupa in the
Early Ayutthaya period, and Wat Langka is the only monastery in the Chao Phrom area
that has a Khmer prang. There was also coconut grove in the vicinity of Wat Langka,
which a canal was named after (Khlong Maphrao). It is plausible that Wat Langka is one
of those monasteries mentioned in the Royal Chronicles. More research is needed on this
issue.
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| Text by Ken May - August 2009 Photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - October 2008 |
| (Click button for aerial view) |
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Addendum
Wat Langka is situated in Ho Rattanachai sub-district. The temple is indicated on a map
drafted in the mid-19th century and on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map of 1926.
Wat Langka is situated in Ho Rattanachai sub-district. The temple is indicated on a map
drafted in the mid-19th century and on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map of 1926.
| Addendum by Tricky Vandenberg - January 2011 |