Wat Anongkharam Woravihara
(Wat Anong) is located on Somdej Chao Phraya Road . The temple dates
from the early Rattanakosin Period. It was first named Wat Noi Kham
Thaem, after its builder, Than Phuying Noi, wife of Somdej Chao
Phraya Borom Mahaphichaiyart ( That Bunnag ). The temple was built
as a companion to her husband temple, Wat Phichayatikaram. King
Rama IV later renamed the temple Wat Anongkharam.
The stucco decorations on the gables
of the phra ubosot and on the window and door frames of the phra
ubosot and phra vihara are highly regarded for their beauty.
The presiding image in the phra vihara,
called Phra Chulanark, is an image of the Sukhothai Period in the
marn vichai pose, cast from metal and covered with gold. On either
side of the phra vihara there is a mondop, beautiful and unusual
to behold. The eastern mondop houses the Phra Buddha Saiyat image,
copied from Wat Rajathiwas. The western mondop houses a replica
of the Phra Buddhabat, which is cast from metal.
Another beautiful object to be found
at Wat Anongkharam is the Tripitaka bookcase, the work of late Ayutthaya
craftsmen. It is decorated with gold drawings depicting a royal
procession on land and on water. On the exterior of the doors are
inscriptions relating an episode of story of Mahosot, in which the
enemy has laid seige to the city.
Also of interest are monks' residences,
where the buildings and fences are of beautiful design.
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