History of Ayutthaya - Temples & Ruins

WAT BOROM PHUTTHARAM (วัดบรมพุทธาราม)

Wat Borom Phuttharam (also Borommaphuttharam) or the Monastery of the Grand
Buddha is a restored ruin from the Late Ayutthaya period (1629 - 1767 AD). The site
consists of an ordination hall (ubosot), sermon hall (vihara) and two main chedis. The
ordination hall is 40 meter long and 11 meter wide, divided into 3 sections. There are 2
entrances: one in the northeast and one in the southwest. The ubosot houses a sandstone
Buddha image in meditation posture. The temple was also known as Wat Krabueang
Khlueap, the glaze-tiled temple referring to the yellow glazed-tile roof of the ordination
hall. Pieces of these tiles can still be found in and around Khlong Chakrai Noi in its
vicinity.

King Phetracha (r.1688-1703 - Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty) had it constructed in 1689 in
area of his home town, named Patong District. It took 2 years to complete its
construction. Following the Fine Arts Department it was dedicated to a community of
dwelling-monks, especially several high-ranking priests.

The Supreme Holy Lord Omnipotent, for His part, thereupon made a holy royal
resolution, saying, "The Village of Leaf Wrapper Forest is the location of a station
of glorious, royal, grand good fortune. It is appropriate this Self should construct
on it a holy temple." Thereupon the King commanded that a crystal wall, a holy
recitation hall, a preaching hall, a seminary, and residences and dormitories be
constructed. The King commanded Mun Cantharat, a master glazier, to glaze
yellow colored tiles to cover the roofs of the holy recitation hall, the preaching hall
and the seminary. Thereupon the King bestowed a holy name on the temple calling
it the Monastery of the Temple of the Paramount Buddha. The lord abbot who
had been invited to come in and reside there was appointed to be a Holy Royal
Abbot named Reverend Yan Somphot. The King made a holy royal donation, in
reverence to the Holy Triple Gems, of holy royal endowed lands in great amounts,
the taxes in kind from which were to accrue to that holy temple. When [the
construction] was finished, a festival to dedicate it was held for three days and
three nights. [1]

King Borommakot (r.1733-1758) gave the order to restore this temple completely.
Three new doors inlaid with mother-of-pearl were added. The doors bear an inscription
describing their commissioning for Wat Borommaphuttharam in 1751. The doors were
presumably removed after the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. One pair of the doors
was installed in 1939 at the scripture library (Hor Phra Monthien Dharma) from Wat
Pra Kaeo or the Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha; another pair of doors was
set up at Wat Benjamabophit Dusitharam, both in Bangkok. The third and last set of
doors was cut down to remove the damaged parts, made into a cabinet and is exhibited
in the Bangkok's National Museum.

The ruin is located on the city island on the Rajaphat Institute premises, south of Rojana
Rd and adjacent to former Khlong Chakrai Noi in geographical coordinates: 14° 20'
51.34" N, 100° 33' 40.73" E.

References:

[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 320 /
Source: Phan Canthanumat.