Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SIGHTS
PHRA NAKHON KHIRI HISTORICAL PARK
( 0 3240 1006; 150B, tram return adult/child 40B/free; park & tram 8.30am-4.30pm)
Phetchaburi lives in
the shadow of a looming hill (known locally as Khao Wang) studded with wát and topped
by various components of Rama IV's (King Mongkut; r 1851-68) 1860 palace. The moun-
taintop is divided into three sections; the east peak bears a scaled-down version of
Wat Phra
Kaew
(the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and an unusual
chedi
made of granite blocks; the
middle peak is dominated by
Phra That Chom Phet
, a 40m-high
chedi
that affords panoramic
views from its upper level, while the western peak is home to Mongkut's palace, the
eponymous
Phra Nakhon Khiri
, his observatory and other palace essentials built in Thai and
Sino-European styles. To get here, make the strenuous upward climb or head to the west
side of the hill and take the
funicular railway
straight up to the peak.
HISTORICAL SITE
WAT MAHATHAT WORAWIHAN
(Th Damnoen Kasem)
F
With its late-Ayuthaya/early-Ratanakosin adaptation of the
Ъrahng
of
Lopburi and Phimai, this is Phetchaburi's most imposing temple. The beautiful murals in-
side the
wí·hăhn
illustrate the
jataka
and also show vivid snippets of everyday Thai life
during the 19th century. The roof of the adjacent
bòht
holds some fine examples of stucco
work, which is characteristic of the Phetchaburi school of art that can be seen on many of
the city's temples.
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
WAT YAI SUWANNARAM
(Th Phongsuriya; 7am-6pm)
F
This expansive temple compound was originally built in Ay-
uthaya during the 17th century and was moved to Phetchaburi and renovated during the
reign of Rama V (King Chulalongkorn; r 1868-1910). Legend has it that the gash in the or-
nately carved wooden doors of the lengthy wooden
săh·lah
(often spelt 'sala') dates to the
Burmese attack. The faded murals inside the
bòht
date to the 1730s. Next to the
bòht,
set on
a murky pond, is a beautifully designed old
hŏr đrai
(Tripitaka library), though these days
it's home only to pigeons.
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
WAT KO KAEW SUTHARAM
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
