  Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya
Wat Ratchaburana in Ayutthaya, Thailand, is within stone's throw of other famous Ayutthaya temples, namely Wat Mahathat and Wat Phra Ram. It was built in 1424 by Borom Ratchathirat II, with the main prang over the cremation site of his father, King Nakharintharathirat (refer to Ayutthaya history).
Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya (30 December 2002)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
When King Nakharintharathirat died in 1424, a power struggle took place between his three sons. The two elder brothers, Chao Aye Phraya of Suphanburi and Chao Yi Phraya of Sanburi, met each other for a duel on elephant back, both desiring their father's throne. The fight took place near the Pa-Than Bridge in Ayutthaya, and tragically ended with the death of both brothers.
The third son, Chao Sam Phraya, came down from Phitsanulok and ascended the throne as the new king, taking on the name of Borom Ratchathirat II. Thereupon, he arranged for the funeral of his father and his two brothers. Wat Ratchaburana was erected at the site where his father was cremated. At the site where his two brothers fought and died, he had two chedis built to keep their ashes.
In September, 1957, looters tunneled down to the two-level crypt inside the main prang and carted away valuable treasures. The police managed to apprehend some of them. With the discovery, the Fine Arts Department stepped in to excavate the site. Buddha images and other gold artifacts were discovered. They also discovered murals covering the walls of the crypt. Due to the vast collect of Buddha images and votive tablets found in the crypt, the government approved that some of these be given as gifts to the people who had contributed to the building of the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, which houses most of the treasures of Wat Ratchaburana.
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