Picture of Various offerings on altar near the base of the golden Buddha (Ayutthaya, Thailand)

Altar with small statues at the foot of the enormous golden Buddha

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As soon as you enter the small space of the wihaan, the golden Buddha right in front of you silences you through its size and brilliance. But let this giant not distract you from walking around it.
On the backside, there is a spiral staircase, which leads to the top of the statue. Unfortunately, this is not accessible to regular visitors. The flashy and shiny appearance of the golden Buddha of Wat Phanan Choeng belies its age: this statue was erected in 1324, even before the founding of Ayutthaya. It has been damaged several times, but always repaired. The wihaan is barely big enough to cover the statue. It has survived the sacking of the city by the Burmese, although according to legend, tears flowed from its eyes when it happened. Now, the Buddha appears serene, and it can be confident about its future. There is no more reason for it to cry: this is the most active temple of Ayutthaya and it is therefore always surrounded by worshippers.
Read more about: Wat Phanan Choeng

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