| WAT YAN SAEN |
Wat Yan Saen is located beside U-Thong Road. It is situated east of the Royal
Palace, and Khlong Muang can be found on the opposite side of the road. This area is
sometimes referred to as the Tha Wasukri District. Wat Yan Saen is an active monastery
built on boundaries of an ancient site. The modern facilities can be seen at the U-Thong
Road entrance. The architectural structures from ancient monastery are viewable behind
the modern site.
The modern temple has all the classic traits of the Ratanakosin period, including brightly
colored mirrored tiles on each of its structures. Wat Yan Saen has all the usual buildings
found at an active temple (sermon hall, monk’s quarters, crematorium, bell tower, etc.).
Some of the modern features that stand out are a shrine to the four-headed Erawan and
an interesting deviation of a Chinese-style pagoda. There is also a large, two-tiered, bell
tower featuring bells at each level. Curiously, this modern site also has whimsical statues
of an elephant and other animals hiding behind trees.
The most remarkable structure in situ at this temple, however, is its ancient chedi. Derick
Garnier once praised Wat Yan Saen’s towering chedi as exhibiting, “the elegance and
balance for which the architects of that time strove” (Garnier 45). It is designed in a
similar late-Ayutthaya period architectural style as Chedi Sri Suriyothai. This chedi is
entered from the east via a large staircase, and it is distinguished by its heavily indented
corners and terraces. There are arched porticos in each of the cardinal directions. Each
portico is crowned with its own niche and chedi. The niches have all been bricked over
except for an entrance on the eastern side. The inner relic chamber is empty, but there is
a hole in the floor leading to a crypt below (now sealed off). The spire has at least 49
rings and its harmika and finial are in good shape.
In addition, there are several small chedi in situ. Two of which remain in relatively good
condition (except for the multiple holes dug into them by looters). There are also traces
of some of the old monastery walls.
There is not much known about Wat Yan Saen’s history. Wat Yan Saen would have
been situated behind the city’s original walls before they were expanded. This monastery
probably had some type of connection to ancient elephant stables. Foreign maps show
that elephants and their mahouts were housed in the area between Wat Yan Saen to
Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak (Vingboons 1660; de La Loubere 1691; Coronelli 1696).
Excavations revealed that a building on this site contained ropes for harnessing elephants.
Wat Yan Saen was situated along Khlong Nam Cheawn - a canal that brought fast
moving water from Khlong Muang (the old Lopburi River) to Bung Phra Ram. The
water flow of this canal was regulated by a gate known as Pratu Tasibiay. A portion of
the gate’s wall can still be seen along U-Thong Road near the front of this monastery.
This canal was aligned with a number of temples: Wat Chum Saeng, Wat Langkha
Khao, Wat Langkha Dam, Wat Sangkha Pat, and Wat Phong.
During the 1940s, many artifacts were discovered at this temple, including pottery and a
Buddha image in the Lopburi style. Jane Bunnag produced a map in 1973 that shows
Wat Yan Saen as an active temple, whose monks walked along an alms-route to the
Hua Ro market and back (Bunnag 102-103). Her research shows that Wat Yan Saen
received most of its income from private donations, and that it augmented the
monastery's income by renting part of its land to tenants for 50 Baht per year, which was
considered quite a bargain rate at that time (Bunnag 122).
Palace, and Khlong Muang can be found on the opposite side of the road. This area is
sometimes referred to as the Tha Wasukri District. Wat Yan Saen is an active monastery
built on boundaries of an ancient site. The modern facilities can be seen at the U-Thong
Road entrance. The architectural structures from ancient monastery are viewable behind
the modern site.
The modern temple has all the classic traits of the Ratanakosin period, including brightly
colored mirrored tiles on each of its structures. Wat Yan Saen has all the usual buildings
found at an active temple (sermon hall, monk’s quarters, crematorium, bell tower, etc.).
Some of the modern features that stand out are a shrine to the four-headed Erawan and
an interesting deviation of a Chinese-style pagoda. There is also a large, two-tiered, bell
tower featuring bells at each level. Curiously, this modern site also has whimsical statues
of an elephant and other animals hiding behind trees.
The most remarkable structure in situ at this temple, however, is its ancient chedi. Derick
Garnier once praised Wat Yan Saen’s towering chedi as exhibiting, “the elegance and
balance for which the architects of that time strove” (Garnier 45). It is designed in a
similar late-Ayutthaya period architectural style as Chedi Sri Suriyothai. This chedi is
entered from the east via a large staircase, and it is distinguished by its heavily indented
corners and terraces. There are arched porticos in each of the cardinal directions. Each
portico is crowned with its own niche and chedi. The niches have all been bricked over
except for an entrance on the eastern side. The inner relic chamber is empty, but there is
a hole in the floor leading to a crypt below (now sealed off). The spire has at least 49
rings and its harmika and finial are in good shape.
In addition, there are several small chedi in situ. Two of which remain in relatively good
condition (except for the multiple holes dug into them by looters). There are also traces
of some of the old monastery walls.
There is not much known about Wat Yan Saen’s history. Wat Yan Saen would have
been situated behind the city’s original walls before they were expanded. This monastery
probably had some type of connection to ancient elephant stables. Foreign maps show
that elephants and their mahouts were housed in the area between Wat Yan Saen to
Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak (Vingboons 1660; de La Loubere 1691; Coronelli 1696).
Excavations revealed that a building on this site contained ropes for harnessing elephants.
Wat Yan Saen was situated along Khlong Nam Cheawn - a canal that brought fast
moving water from Khlong Muang (the old Lopburi River) to Bung Phra Ram. The
water flow of this canal was regulated by a gate known as Pratu Tasibiay. A portion of
the gate’s wall can still be seen along U-Thong Road near the front of this monastery.
This canal was aligned with a number of temples: Wat Chum Saeng, Wat Langkha
Khao, Wat Langkha Dam, Wat Sangkha Pat, and Wat Phong.
During the 1940s, many artifacts were discovered at this temple, including pottery and a
Buddha image in the Lopburi style. Jane Bunnag produced a map in 1973 that shows
Wat Yan Saen as an active temple, whose monks walked along an alms-route to the
Hua Ro market and back (Bunnag 102-103). Her research shows that Wat Yan Saen
received most of its income from private donations, and that it augmented the
monastery's income by renting part of its land to tenants for 50 Baht per year, which was
considered quite a bargain rate at that time (Bunnag 122).
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Text & photographs by Ken May - August 2009 |
| (Click button for aerial view) |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |