Phra Khanthararat, Wat Na Phra Meru, 1,500 years old

Wat Na Phra Meru is located on the bank of Khlong Srabue on the northern side of the moat of Ayutthaya, not far from the Royal Palace in the ancient site of "Wat Na Phra Meru Ratchikaram" or simply "Wat Na Phra Meru". It is an ancient temple from the Ayutthaya period with no evidence of who built it or when. However, it is assumed that it was built at the place of the royal cremation of one of the kings in the early Ayutthaya period. There is only one legend that Phra In during the reign of King Ramathibodi II built this temple in 2046 B.E., but there is no clear evidence. Wat Na Phra Meru is the only temple in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya that was not destroyed when the capital was lost. It is believed that because the enemy used Wat Na Phra Meru as a military base, the buildings and architecture in the Ayutthaya style and many ancient Buddha images have remained in good condition to the present day. There is another valuable Buddha image in Wat Na Phra Meru, which is "Phra Khanthararat" enshrined in the small chapel or Sanphetch chapel or Khian chapel, which is only 6 meters wide and 16 meters long. Phra Khanthararat is a green stone Buddha image in the attitude of giving the first sermon from the Dvaravati period. The Buddha image sits with his feet dangling on a lotus flower. It is believed that it was built between 1000-1200 B.E., which Phraya Chaiyawichit (Phuek), the head of the restoration and renovation during the reign of King Rama III, inscribed that it was brought from Wat Mahathat in Ayutthaya. However, there is a record during the reign of King Rama V that it was brought from Wat Phra Meru in Nakhon Pathom Province, which is the site where many large Dvaravati Buddha images were discovered. This Buddha image is a green stone Buddha image sitting with his feet dangling, which is the largest and most complete at present. There are only a few in Thailand. It is as old as the Borobudur or Borommaputto era on the island of Java in Indonesia, more than 1,000 years ago. It is one of the six Buddha images made from stone in the world and one of the five in Thailand. Coordinates: https://goo.gl/maps/kLk1LtefmNCXTWKL9