Chedi Phukhao Thong (เจดีย์ภูเขาทอง)

Thai. ‘Golden Mountain Stupa’. Name of the second tallest pagoda in Ayutthaya. The stupa is named after the adjacent Buddhist temple Wat Phukhao Thong which was founded in 1387 AD by Somdet Phra Ramesuan, the son of Somdet Phra Ramathibodi I (fig.), the founder of Ayutthaya. A new chedi was built in 1569 AD over the original stupa by the Burmese King and military leader Bayinnaung (fig.) to commemorate his victory after having taken Ayutthaya. The stupa stands on a large square base with four levels or terraces and originally in Mon style. At ground level the pyramid-like base measures 69 meters per side, while at the fourth level it is only 32.4 meters per side. There are staircases to the highest level on all four sides, which is typical in Burmese-style pagodas. The monument was restored several times between the reigns of Somdet Phra Maha Dhamma Racha and Somdet Phra Phetracha, spanning a period from 1569 to 1703 AD, and in the reign of Somdet Phra Chao Yoo Hua Borommakoht, who reigned from 1733 to 1758 AD, a major renovation was carried out in which the tower was refashioned in the prevailing Thai style of that time. Whereas the base was preserved in its original form, the tower was redone as a redented chedi with a recess floor plan known in Thai as yo mum. The redented chedi has arched recesses with gilded door frames and each containing a Buddha image on all four sides, is supported by an octagonal base, and is topped by a ringed spire of which the peak is gilded. In the Rattanakosin period, the chedi collapsed but was repaired in 1956, during the second term of Field Marshall Phibun Songkram (fig.) as Thailand's premier. At that time a golden orb weighing 2.5 kilo, i.e. 2,500 grams was installed at the pinnacle to commemorate the celebration of 25th Century of the Buddhist Era (fig.) in 1957 AD (2500 BE). The total height measures 2 sen, 5 wah and 1 keub, which is about 90 meters, making it just 1 wah, i.e. ca. 2 meter, shorter than the bell-shaped chedi of Wat Yai Chai Mongkon (fig.), the tallest stupa in Ayutthaya province which was built by King Naresuan in 1592, in order to commemorate his victory over the viceroy of Burma, whom he had defeated in a duel fought on the backs of war elephants in Nong Sarai (fig.). In 2017, the monument got another overhaul. See also list of Thai Kings, list of Thai Prime Ministers, THAI MILITARY RANKS, TRAVEL PICTURES, and MAP. 回