Thailand Travel Pages - Wat Rachathiwat

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Wat Rachathiwat:

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Wat Rachathiwat is used today support the traditional royal barge ceramonies at the Wat Rachathiwat Pier. This Wat was re-established from the former "Wat Samor-rai” Temple and restoration was continuously performed in this temple from the time of King Rama I to King Rama III periods.

Renovations were then made again by King Rama IV who also renamed the temple Wat Rachtathiwatwihan, which means "the temple where the King resides." The main chapel, Ubosot, was re-designed by HRH Prince Naris, prince of Siam (died 1947) in Khmer style which also house a fresco mural by an Italian artist, Prof. C. Rigoli. The instruction hall, Sala Karnparian, is a large teak Ayutthaya style building also re-designed by HRH Prince Naris, who imitated the design of the instruction hall of Wat Suwannaram in Petchburi. The hall has been praised as "the biggest and most beautiful wooden structure in the Far East."

Royal escort barges are kept temporarily Wat Rachathiwat pier, prior to Royal Barge Processions and rehearsals. After the events the barges are moved back to the storage, out of water.

Many barges use Ramayana figureheads that are securely tied at the pier and kept apart between them so that they never hit each other, in an attempt to increase their life on the river.