Admire the mural paintings of King Rama IV looking at the stars with a telescope at Wat Senasanaram, Ayutthaya, a heritage of Thai art and history, commonly known as "Wat Sena", located in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, a World Heritage city full of historical landmarks.
Upon entering the Ubosot, you will find the Ruea Waet, a royal barge from the reign of King Rama V. If you see an ancient boat displayed like this, it means you have come to the right temple.
Wat Senasanaram, originally called Wat Suea, was built during the early Ayutthaya period. King Mongkut (Rama IV) played an important role in restoring Wat Senasanaram to a better condition. He improved various buildings to become the center of education for monks in that era. It is a temple with a long-standing relationship with Rattanakosin.
A highlight of Wat Senasanaram is the mural paintings, which were painted during the reign of King Rama IV, reflecting the beauty and art of that era, including the use of colors and techniques in painting with exquisite detail, influenced by Western art in perspective drawing and the use of dark tones.
An important painting is the image of King Rama IV looking at the stars with a telescope, reflecting his royal favor and ability in astronomy, as he calculated the occurrence of the solar eclipse at Prachuap Khiri Khan, and the image of the Triyampawai ceremony (swinging ceremony) that was abolished during the reign of King Rama V.
Don't forget to see the unusual items in the Viharn of the Reclining Buddha, a rare and strange Buddha image called Phra Phuttha Upatham, where Wat Senasanaram has a Buddha image sculpted as if he were a young monk, younger than the Buddha himself.
In addition to the mural paintings in the Ubosot, there are also paintings in the Viharn of Phra Indra Plaeng. Wat Senasanaram still maintains the peace and sanctity of the old temple, even though it is a tourist attraction that is always visited by tourists.
Traveling to Wat Senasanaram is easy. Tourists can visit the temple and learn about its history within a few hours. Don't forget to prepare your camera to capture beautiful pictures of the paintings and architecture, and to respect and maintain peace while traveling.
