| Wat Ratchaburana | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Entrance of Wat Ratchaburana | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | TheravadaBuddhism |
| Location | |
| Location | Ayutthaya,Ayutthaya Province |
| Country | Thailand |
  Location in Thailand | |
| Coordinates | 14°21′32″N100°34′4″E / 14.35889°N 100.56778°E /14.35889; 100.56778 |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Borommarachathirat II |
| Completed | 1424 |
| Official name: Historic City of Ayutthaya | |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii |
| Designated | 1991 |
| Parent listing | Historic City of Ayutthaya |
| Reference no. | 576 |
| Region | Asia and the Pacific |
Wat Ratchaburana (Thai:วัดราชบูรณะ) is aBuddhist temple (wat) in theAyutthaya Historical Park,Ayutthaya, Thailand. The temple's mainprang is one of the finest in the city. Located in the island section of Ayutthaya, Wat Ratchaburana is immediately north ofWat Mahathat.[1]
Wat Ratchaburana was founded in 1424 by KingBorommarachathirat II of theAyutthaya Kingdom and built on the cremation site of his two elder brothers. The two brothers had fought to their deaths in a duel for the royal succession to their fatherIntha Racha.[2]
The temple's central prang has undergone restoration. Originalstucco work can be seen, for exampleGaruda swooping down onnāga. Other mythical creatures as well aslotus are featured. FourSri Lankanstupas surround the main prang.[1][3]
The prang's crypt, accessible by steep stairs, houses fadedfrescoes. These comprise some of the rare such examples from the earlyAyutthaya period.[2] The crypt's Buddha images, now housed in the Chao Sam Phraya Museum, exhibit bothKhmer andSukhothai influences.[3]
The discovery of the temple's crypt in 1956 became nationwide news. In 1957, a large group of thieves illegally excavated the crypt and looted numerousBuddha images and gold artifacts. The perpetrators were later arrested, but only a portion of the stolen items was recovered; some of the recovered objects are now housed in the nearbyChao Sam Phraya Museum.[1][3]
Subsequent official excavations by Thailand'sFine Arts Department uncovered far more material, including more than 2,000 objects, over 100,000 votive tablets, and more than 100 kilograms of gold, as well as many rare Buddha images. The finds are now kept at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.
The music video forBon Jovi's "This Ain't a Love Song" was filmed at Wat Ratchaburana inAyutthaya Historical Park, Thailand, and was directed by British commercial, film, and music video directorAndy Morahan.[4]
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Media related toWat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya at Wikimedia Commons