Wat Chedi Chet Thaeo

THAILAND, Sukhothai

Wat Chedi Chet Thaeo means Temple with Seven Rows of Stupas, named after the original seven rows of stupas here. This temple is located in the Sri Satchanalai Historical Park. It was constructed by King Phaya Lithai (reigned 1347–1368) of Sukhothai. As part of the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns, it was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1991.
The central area of the temple consists of the main hall and the main stupa. These are surrounded by stupas in various styles and sizes, which are all enclosed by a laterite boundary wall. However, the ordination hall and the sutra repository are both located outside the boundary wall. The extant remains of the main hall consist of low walls, high columns, and some column bases.
The main stupa stands on a square base platform. The square base of the stupa is 13.5 m high and has multiple layers. The body has multiple corners and is crowned by the spire in the shape of a lotus bud, followed by the stacked rings of the finial. There are 33 ancillary stupas surrounding the main stupa. One particular stupa, situated in the north, contains a meditating Buddha sitting beneath the nine-headed Naga King. The throne of the Buddha consists of seven horizontal coils of the naga’s body, while the naga’s nine heads project around and over the Buddha’s head. Such a sculpture of the Buddha protected by Mucalinda is rare in Sri Satchanalai. The temple complex is significant in the history of Buddhist architecture because it has one of the richest varieties of stone stupas in Asia, reflecting South Indian, Lanna, and Burmese styles.