Rating: 3.4/5 (10 votes)

Operating day: daily

Operating time: 08.00 - 16.30

 

Wat Kawisraram Ratchaworawiharn Tha Hin, Muang Lop Buri, Lop Buri. The name Kawisararam means the king’s temple. It is considered as one of the oldest and most important temples in the province.

 

The legend has it that it was built by King Narai who granted the land to the temple by announcing in royal decree. The temple was former known as "Wat Kwid" before it was granted a new name by King Rama IV to be "Wat Korawisayaram".

 

Later, King Rama V had a royal order to renovate the temple to be of one of the Buddhism branches known as Raman Nikaya.

 

Every abbot at this temple had been entitled as "Phra Kru Raman Samanakhun" until the temple was converted into another branch called Maha Nikaya.

 

Wat Kawisararam is believed to be once abandoned, in other words, there were no monks resided here. The former ubosot, constructed in Maha Ut architecture style, has only one gate.

 

The walls features no window but were drilled into small vertical rectangular holes. The principle Buddha image, an old one from Au Thong Period, is in the attitude of subduing Mara.

 

Kabu, the Chinese carved tiles, was used to make the roof. The interior decoration bares traditional wall painting on every side of the walls and poles.  

 

Archaeologists believe that the principle Buddha image, large and believed to be in the ubosot since the establishment of the temple is an ancient one.

 

However, the plaster base of the Buddha image and the way the Buddha image is placed were popular before the time of King Narai and the style in which they appear is different from the art from King Narai’s time. Thus, some believe that this temple is very much prior to King Narai’s reign, but King Narai might renovate it.

 

Besides, there are many other important things in the compound that are worth visiting: stunning murals, monk portraits, and sacred well which was used in the water of allegiance ceremony.