Wat Phra That Haripunchai

Wat Phra-That-Haripunchai

Wat Phra That Hariphunchai is a nationally revered temple. Wat stands on the site of a former royal palace, located outside the partially preserved still extant city walls. Its history begins in 867, when the Mon king Atityarat erected a mondhop here for a relic of the Buddha.

General Information

The Wat Phra That Kharipunchai, turned towards the river, is best entered from this side. The visitor is greeted by two colossal stone lions – a characteristic feature of Burmese architecture. In front of the temple itself is a small, unadorned vihan with a 15-meter statue of a reclining Buddha.

Behind this building is the chedi, which has been enlarged and rebuilt many times over the centuries. Since the 16th century, its height is 51 meters. The complexly configured base and rounded top are covered with gilded copper plates with decoration, the spire is topped with a nine-tiered umbrella. Once a year there is a solemn ceremony of washing the chedi with holy water. To the east of it is the Burmese bell tower