Wat Rajapradit Sathitmahasimaram
Rajaworavihara (Wat Rajapradit)
is situated next to Saranrom Park closed to Khlong Ku Muang Derm
Road, on the opposite side of the canal from Wat Rajabopit. King
Rama IV ordered the construction of Wat Rajapradit Sathitmahasimaram
in 1864 as the first temple of Dhammayutika sect. The phra vihara
luang is constructed on a high base and is beautifully decorated.
In the temple there are eight stone pillars, each surmounted by
a carving of the Buddhist Wheel of Law (Dhammachak), one for each
of the eight directions, hence the name "Mahasimaram".
During the construction of the phra
vihara luang, which is the phra ubosot, it was found that the ground
was rather low and the earth soft. If earth and sand were used as
landfill the ground would still continue to subside. King Rama IV
therefore ordered that broken garlic jars be used as landfill because
the jars was especially strong.
In the phra vihara luang, there are
murals depicting the royal ceremonies of the twelve months, including
the Giant Swing Ceremony, Songkran, Visakha Puja as well as a picture
of King Rama IV using as a telescope for his astronomical studies.
On one side of the phra vihara luang there is a standing statue
of King Rama IV and nearby there is a statue of the Supreme Patriarch
(Sa) in a chedi covered with marble tiles.
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