Nakhon Pathom Palace ,located to the east and not far from Wat Phra Pathom Chedi. At present, it houses the Nakhon Pathom Municipality. Prince Damrong Rachanuphab mentioned the reason for building this palace in the book “Tamnaan Wang Gao” (or Tales of the Old Palaces) that during the renovation of Phra Pathom Chedi, it was inconvenient to come and go from Bangkok to Nakhon Pathom within a day, thus staying overnight was obligatory. Under the royal command of King Rama IV, the palace was built near the Phra Pathom Chedi, similar in concept to those palaces in the Ayutthaya period whereby the King commanded that a palace be built on the perimeter of the temple housing the Phra Buddhabat (Buddha’s Foot Print). The palace was given the name “Phra Nakhon Pathom” and the canals of Mahasawas and Chedi Bucha were dug to facilitate commuting by boat between Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom.

Neun Dhamma Sala It is located at Dhamma Sala temple, Tambon Dhamma Sala, 6 Kms. to the east of Phra Pathom Chedi, on the South-side of Petchakasem Road. The physical appearance is that of a hill with a tunnel opening that is believed to connect Wat Phra Mayn to Wat Dhamma Sala. From hearsay, there are various valuable treasures like ancient pottery but which may not be taken out because there is a treasure guardian spirit watching over.

Neun Phra or Neun Yai Hom ,located in Tambon Don Yai Hom. Take the Petchakasem Road from Nakhon Pathom heading into Bangkok for about 5 Kms., you will arrive at a T-intersection, turn right onto Settakit 2 Road (Ban Paew-Don Yai Hom Road) and proceed for about 9 Kms.,

Neun Yai Hom is on your left and another 150 metres into a side road, located in the middle of the rice fields. Amphoe Ban Paew is an ancient site. In 1936, Phra Dhamma Vathi Kanachan (Luang Pho Ngeun), the abbot of Wat Don Yai Hom, dug up broken bricks from the base of the hill to build a church. Digging down further, he found two square green laterite pillars both about 4 metres high with a unique carving at the crown of the pillars that resembled pillar doors of the Sanchi Chedi of King Asoka Maharaj, and a laterite statue of a crouching deer, another Dvaravati period Buddha image, and a broken stone Sema Dhamma Chakra (Buddhist Wheel of Virtue used signify temple boundaries). The laterite stone pillars had a gap at the top for placing the Sema Dhama Chakra. This is the same style as those found at Phra Pathom Chedi, Wat Phra Ngam, Wat Phra Padhone, and Sanam Chan Palace. Presently, the pillars are at Wat Don Yai Hom, the laterite crouching deer and the Buddha images are on exhibit at the Bangkok National Museum. These discoveries confirm that this area was once an ancient temple and that the hill must have been a large Chedi that was in the temple compound dating back to the Dvaravati period, or earlier, roughly about 1,000 years ago. It is a revered and important historical site.

Neun Wat Phra Ngam Situated at Phra Ngam temple, Tambon Nakhon Pathom, near Nakhon Pathom Railway Station. At this temple, during excavations, a large Chedi dating from Dvaravati era and artefacts including dilapidated sandstone Buddha images, Sema Dhama Chakra (Buddhist Wheel of Virtue used signify temple boundaries), statues of crouching deer, bronze Buddha images, and earthen Buddha images, which were made with unsurpassed craftsmanship. Prince Damrong Rachanuphab explained that the origin of the name “Wat Phra Ngam” (temple of magnificent Buddha images) was due to the beauty of the discovered earthen Buddha images, the temple was given such name. Some of them are housed at the National Museum and others at Phra Pathom Chedi. All of the discovered artefacts dates back to the Dvaravati period, which are the same age as those found around Phra Pathom Chedi.

Phra Padhone Chedi Another historical site located in Wat Phra Padhone Chedi temple, Tambon Phra Padhone. It is located 2 Kms. to the east of Phra Pathom Chedi down Petchakasem Road. The former shape of Phra Padhone Chedi was an upside down bell like other Chedi that was built in Dvaravati period. As Wat Phra Padhone Chedi is located in the middle of the ancient city of Nakhon Chaisi thus several artefacts were discovered during excavations. Some of the discovered items include Buddha images, heads of Buddha images and Buddha images in terra cotta, as well as a bronze figure of a garuda gripping naga under it’s claws, which is the official symbol of King Rama VI.

Wat Phra Mayn is situated at Ananta Uttayan Park, Tambon Huai Chorakae, to the south of Phra Pathom Chedi. It is an abandoned temple that nowadays resemble a large hill. Also discovered here are other artefacts which include bronze Buddha images as well as arms, thighs, and hands from a laterite Buddha image, Yaksa Deva (Thai mythical giant gods), Lotus Lion Deva, and stucco reliefs from the stupa ruins. At present, they are exhibited at the Bangkok National Museum and Wat Phra Pathom Chedi. During the reign of King Rama VI, Prince Damrong Rachanupap brought two large pairs of the Buddha’s Foot Print replica from Wat Phra Men and placed them on an outside corridor of Phra Pathom Chedi. During an excavation by the Fine Arts Department and the French archaeologists in 1938, remains which resembles an enormous stupa were discovered. It was a square-based stupa with very high-indented corners; the remains themselves were 12 metres high, with arched windows on four sides within which each houses a sitting laterite Buddha image. Later, the Buddha images were enshrined at Wat Phra Pathom Chedi. It is believed that these laterite Buddha images date back to the Dvaravati period, the same period as Phra Pathom Chedi, which is no less than 1,000 years old.

Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Ratchavoraviharn this is a first class royal monastery. The temple houses Phra Pathom Chedi, the largest pagoda in Thailand. Phra Pathom Chedi is the official provincial symbol of Nakhon Pathom.

The present Phra Pathom Chedi was built during the reign of King Rama IV in 1853, under his royal command, the new Chedi was constructed to cover the former Chedi of which the shape was of an upside down bell shape with a Prang top. It is assumed that the former Chedi dates back to the year 539 AD due to the fact that the upside down bell shaped Chedi has a similar style to the Sanchi Chedi in India which was built in the reign of King Asoka. The construction of the new huge Chedi was completed in the reign of King Rama V in 1870 AD. In all, it took 17 years to build.

The completed Chedi is a circular one that features an upside down bell shape Chedi (Lankan style). The height from ground to a top crown is some 120.45 metres, and a total diameter at the base is 233.50 metres. The sacred Chedi houses Lord Buddha’s relics. During the reign of King Rama VI, Wat Phra Pathom was renovated and later the temple became the royal temple of King Rama VI. Within the monastery compound, there are various interesting historical items, including the Phra Ruang Rodjanarith ,an image of Buddha bestowing pardon, is enshrined in a vihara located to the North and in front of Phra Pathom Chedi. The casting of this Buddha image was casted during the reign of King Rama VI: the image’s head, hand, and feet were brought from Muang Srisatchanalai, Sukhothai.

Under royal command, a wax sculpture of the Buddha image was moulded. The casting process was held at Wat Phra Chettuphon in 1913. Later, the Buddha image was enshrined in the vihara, located on the north side at the top of a huge staircase. The King granted the name of “Phra Rung Rodjanarith Sri-intharathit Thammamopas Mahavachiravuth Rachpuchaniyabopitr” to this Buddha image. At its base, the relics of King Rama VI are housed. Additionally, there are:

Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Museum The museum is located at a lower level in the east of the church. It houses artefacts and historical remains which were discovered during the excavations in Nakhon Pathom including the coffin and funeral ritual set that were used in Ya-Lei’s cremation ceremony. Ya-Lei was a dog very dear to King Rama VI, that was shot and died. The King was much saddened and commanded to building of a monument for Ya-Lei as a token of his grief. The museum is open daily from 09.00-16.30 except Monday and Tuesday.

Then there is the National Museum of Phra Pathom Chedi This is also worth a visit. The National Museum of Phra Pathom Chedi is located to the south of the Pathom Chedi compound. It is a 2 storey modern Thai building that houses artefacts and historical remains, most of which dates back to Dvaravati period and were found during excavations in Nakhon Pathom. For more information, contact Khun Sunthorn, Pali Union Education Foundation tel: 257-745 or Khun Panom Taeng On, Phra Pathom Chedi Treasury and Preservation Office tel: 242-143. The museum is open daily from 09.00-16.00 except Monday, Tuesday and National Gazette holidays.