Photo Gallery

Wat Pa Sak (built 1319 onward)

Wat Pa Sak, 'The Teak Forest Monastery' owes its name to the teak trees which still stand along the perimeter of Chiang Saen's city walls, which are located just a few hundred meters from this monastery. Its principle item of interest is a brick and stucco chedi dating from around 1319 (some chronicles indicate 1295, but that is unlikely since it is earlier than the founding of Chiang Saen). The chedi enshrines a relic from Pataliputra in India. Stylistically, it is influenced by Mon design which favored stacked square tiers with standing Buddhas embedded in each tier. It also shows Sukhothai influence in the detail of stucco work that survives on one of the higher tiers.

Apart from the chedi, the ruins of an ubosot with several standing stone columns can be found in front of the chedi. There are also scattered stone foundations of indeterminate purpose in the fields surrounding the site.

Bibliography:

Image credits: All images copyright 2008 Timothy M Ciccone. Photographed early March, 2008.

Aasen, Clarence. Architecture of Siam: A Cultural History Interpretation
  Oxford University Press, 1998. Kuala Lumpur

Amranand, Ping & Warren, William. Art & Design of Northern Thailand: Lanna Style
  Sirivatana Inerprint Public Co., 2000. Bangkok

Cummings, Joe. Lonely Planet: Thailand
  Lonely Planet Publications, 1990. Singapore

Freeman, Michael. Lanna: Thailand's Northern Kingdom
  River Books, 2001. Thailand

Lassus, Pongkwan (Sukwattana). Architectural Heritage in Thailand
  Amarin Printing and Publishing, 2004. Bangkok

Matics, K. I. Introduction to the Thai Temple
  White Lotus Co., 1992. Bangkok

Ringis, Rita. Thai Temples and Temple Murals
  Oxford University Press, 1990. Kuala Lumpur

Sthapitanonda, Nithi & Mertens, Brian. Architecture of Thailand: A Guide to Traditional and Contemporary Forms
  Thames and Hudson, 2005. Singapore


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