Wat Saket Ratchaworamahawihan
TEMPLE OF THE GOLDEN MOUNT BANGKOK
Ubosot or the ordination hall was built in the reign of King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I). It is located within the surrounding low wall, and standing in the same linear direction as the viharn of Pra Attharot. The ordination hall is surrounded by a cloister. Between the surrounding low wall and the cloister are pagodas lining around the area. The hall is, traditionally, facing the east, where a city-surrounding canal lies.There is a door facade at each of the four sides of the cloister. Each was built with an exquisite portico. The pediment of the door facade is decorated with mosaic.
A pair of marker stones in each pavilion are carved, gilded, and decorated with mosaic. This monastic boundary of 8 pairs of marker stones is renowned as praised by Somdej mahasamanachao Kromprayavajiray /aroros (known as Prince Vajirayana Varoros), marker stones at Wat Srakesa are extraordina lelicate. They should serve as good samples their kind.The principle Buddha image in the ordination hall is a gilded limestone-cast image in the attitude of meditation, one of the most exquisite in Bangkok. It is said that the limestone cast was built to cover the old principle Buddha image which was originally small.King Nang Klao had the ordination hall restored and enlarged, and the mural paintings were added. Later, during the grand restoration in the reign of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), the murals were repainted. The upper half of both side walls was painted to show the celestial assembly, while the lower half of both walls presents the 10 Jataka tales.
The roof consists of a gable apex, toothlike ridges on the sloping edges of the gable, and the ornamental ending pieces shaped as swans’ tails. The roof is covered with glazed tiles. The 4 sides of the cloister are lined with the total 163 Buddha images, some of which are of metal cast, while some are limestone molded to make all the images the same size. It is assumed that during the grand restoration in the reign of King Nang Klao (Rama III), these images were enshrined where they are at the moment.Supreme Patriarch Yanothaya Mahathera, or at that time Somdej Praputthakosajarn, had the cloister restored in 1958.The ordination hall is in the middle of the cloister square, surrounded by 8 direction marker stones to settle the monastic boundary. The stones are housed inside the houdah-shaped pavilions decorated with tiles.
