The Ordination Hall decorated with glazed tiles in five colours. Gable motifs depicting Vishnu mounted on his vehicle, Garuda.
Doors and windows of the Ordination Hall with mondop-shaped niches decorated with glazed tiles in five colours
The Ordination Hall
There is a protruding part at the front part of the roof which is covered with glazed tiles. The gable shows an elephant with seven heads.
The pediments over the doors and windows are in mondop shape and moulded with stucco and gilded. There are 10-doors panels and 28
window panels, the insides of which are decorated with designs of double lotus buds in gilded black lacquer, while the outside is
decorated with the mother of pearl inlay showing the designs of royal insignia. This work of mother of pearl inlay which decorates
the Ordination Hall is praised as one of the masterpieces among the art works of the
Rattanakosin Period. They are the creation of Phra Chao Borommawongthoe Kroma Meun
Divakorn Wongseprawat, and they were originally the window panels of Phra Buddha Prang Prasat in the Grand Palace. King
Chulalongkorn had them removed when the Prasat caught fire in A.D. 1903 When they were repaired it was found out that some
panels were missing so a new set were made and these old ones were installed here in stead. There are 38 panels in all.
The interior which is in European style is in contrast to the outside appearance which is in Thai. It is so finely decorated that it is said to
resemble one of the buildings in the palace at Versailles. All the interior decorations, including the murals on the upper floor, were
the accomplishment of Prince Prawit Chumsai, but what is seen now is the result of renovation during the reign of King Rama VII.
The main Buddha image in the Ordination Hall, called "Phra Buddha Angkhirot" is a cast in the attitude of meditation and wearing
pleated robes. The width is 1.25 metres from knee to knee. The colour of the image is golden. It is placed on a marble base which
was imported from Italy. Somdej Kroma Phraya Damrong Rajanuphab said of this image that it was cast at time of the erection of the
temple itself, but His Royal Highness Prince Kroma Luang Jinaworasiriwatana, the Supreme Patriarch wrote that it was cast
sometime from the reign of King Rama IV to King Rama V, quoting that King Rama IV expressed the wish to bring it to Phra Pathom Chedi
but he passed away before he could do so. The white multi-tiered umbrella held over the image was originally stood over the royal
urn of the remains of King Rama V. After the cremation, King Rama VI ordered it to be brought here. The base on which the image is
placed, contains the royal ashes of King Rama VII.
The Ordination Hall with roof protruding to the front. Ordination Hall and Phra Chedi stand on high bases covered with marble and glazed tiles in five colours
The Circumambulatory Gallery decorated with glazed tiles in five colours in "Thepphanom" and other designs
|
