Wat Ratburana

THAILAND, Ayutthaya

Wat Ratburana means the Temple of Royal Fulfillment. It is one of the best known works of architecture in the region. When King Intharacha (reigned 1408–1424) passed away in 1424, his two oldest sons fought for the throne and were both killed as a result. The third prince succeeded to the throne and became King Borommaracha II (reigned 1424–1448). He built two memorial Thai-style stupas over the locations where his brothers died, and subsequently turned the area into a temple by erecting more stupas and a main hall. When Burmese troops invaded Thailand in 1767, the temple was burned and most of the structures were destroyed. The underground palace of the main stupa was discovered in 1957 after it was broken into by burglars. It had remained sealed for over 500 years, and contained a large quantity of gold objects, Buddha statues, murals, and other precious works of art. As part of the Historic City of Ayutthaya, the temple was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1991.
The architecture of the temple shows both Ayutthaya and Khmer influences, with the Khmer-style main stupa surrounded by smaller Thai-style stupas. The Khmer-style stupa is constructed in stucco-covered brick. It is erected on a multi-tier base platform, which has a rectangular layout with multiple corners. There are porticos projecting from the four sides of the stupa, with the main portico being more prominent. A small Thai-style stupa sits above the main portico. There is a flight of steep stairs leading from the base to the main entrance of the main stupa. The stupa body has a tapered curved shape. Beneath the base of the stupa, there is an underground palace containing several secret chambers covered with colorful murals. On the ceilings of the chambers, there are paintings of Buddha images in various postures, as well as decorative lotus patterns. The artifacts found in the underground palace are considered valuable historical and archaeological treasures of Thailand.