Wat Chom Chuen, Thailand

Address

Wat Chom Chuen, Thailand

Si Satchanalai District,

Sukhothai 64190, Thailand

Moolavar

Buddha

Introduction

The Wat Chom Chuen is a small 14^th century temple located in the Chaliang area on the banks of the Yom River. It is located a few hundred meters west of the area’s largest and best known monument, the Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat Chaliang. The temple’s laterite structures are enclosed by a boundary wall. Aligned on an East West axis are the principal chedi, a mondop and a viharn. North of the main chedi are the remains of a subsidiary chedi and a building that was probably an ubosot. The temple was built in the 14^th century during the Sukhothai era, possibly on the site of an earlier structure.

Puranic Significance

The most important structure of the Wat Chom Chuen is the principal chedi, which stands next to the mondop. The laterite Singhalese style chedi is believed to have been built over an earlier structure from the Khmer era.

The chedi’s base consists of a number of square receding tiers and one octagonal tier. Around the base are shrines protruding out of the structure. Now empty, they once contained images of the Buddha. The laterite bell was covered with plaster, some of which still remains. Around its base are small carved petals of lotus flowers. The top of the chedi, once fitted with a tall tapering finial, has collapsed.

Between the principal chedi and the viharn stands a small mondop opening to the East. Facing the viharn is an arched entrance portal flanked by two arched niches, now empty. The well preserved laterite structure was covered with plaster, much of which still remains. The mondop enshrines a seated image of the Buddha. In front of the mondop are the ruins of a viharn or assembly hall with a front portal on its East end. The base, lower part of the walls and pillars that supported the roof remains. Square holes in the stuccoes pillars mark the spot where wooden beams were once fitted.