Phra Thi Nang Yen is situated on the city island in the Historical Park, east of Wat Phra Ram in the Bueng Phra Ram area. The vihara we see here was built around 1956 CE, during Plaek Phibunsongkhram's tenure as prime minister.
The building has been constructed on the foundations of an older structure, probably dating from the reign of King Narai (1656-1688 CE), the last king of the Prasat Thong Dynasty.
The initial rectangular building had a laterite base with a brick superstructure (now collapsed). It had two floors and arched entry doors and windows. The function of the old building remains a mystery.
Some sources state it was originally the residence of the former abbot of Wat Phra Ram, but this is likely not the case, as the pavilion stands outside the walls of Wat Phra Ram.
Other sources interpret it as part of the hydraulic and ceremonial system, a pavilion-vihara hybrid used during festivals for watching folk games on the occasion of any seasonal water festival, sometimes in the year.
As many important monasteries in Ayutthaya under construction or renovation had a ‘Tamnak’ or royal pavilion, Phra Thi Nang Yen could have served the same function. The exact use of this structure will never be known.
The old structure is indicated on Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's map drafted in 1926 CE.
