Phetchaburi

Phetchaburi, whose short name is Muangphetch, is an ancient city having a very long history. The archaeological evidence suggests that the community existed since the Dvaravati Period. The evidence clearly shows that during Sukhothai and Ayutthaya Periods, Phetchaburi was and important city in the West, a fortified frontier of the Ayutthaya Kingdom against the Burmese. A lineage of Kings ruled this historical city. The history of Phetchaburi has been found in the remains and antiques, not to mention the valuable works of art handed down from its ancestors to the present generation.

In the Rattanakosin Period, Phetchaburi has changed its role from a strategic city to a town full of natural beauty, a seside resort and a place to take a pleasant journey to. The three Kings of the Rattanakosin Period, King Rama the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth found their retreats here. They built the three palaces : Phranakhonkhiri, Phraramrajanivet, Phrarajnivesmarugadayawan in Phetchaburi.

Phetchaburi has been nicknamed by some scholars as the " Living Ayutthaya " because the town has many things similar to the Ayutthaya City which was almost completely destroyed after the Thai-Burmese War over two hundred years ago. The prosperity of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, and can be seen and appreciated by anyone who is interested.

Phetchaburi occupies an area of 6,225 square kilometres, characterised by thick jungles and mountain ranges lying in the west as a border between Thailand and Myanmar, and 80 km. long coastline towards the Gulf of Thailand in the east. Phetchaburi is divided into 8 districts (Amphoes): Muang Phetchaburi, Ban Laem, Ban Lat, Cha-am, Kaeng Krachan, Khao Yoi, Nong Ya Plong and Tha Yang.

Attractions

Khao Bandai It
Khao Bandai It This hill is 121 meters high and just 2 kms. south of Khao Wang. It is the site of an ancient temple of the Ayutthaya Period. There are several caves called Tham Prathum, Tham Phra Chao Sua, and Tham Phra Phuttha Saiyat.

Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park

Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park The palace is considered beautiful with a blend of natural beauty and art. One interesting thing about the architectural design of the palace buildings is the mix of neoclassical, Thai, and Chinese style which is rather unique.

Location and Route It is located on Phetkasem Road, about one kilometer from the junction, the entrance to the town. There are two ways to ascend the hill :

Walking Up: Through it might be a little bit tiring, a traditional way to enjoy and be close to the nature, is to walk up the stone path at the front. Aside from the vegetation especially the lantom, plants which cover most areas of the hill and when in full bloom during summer will produce sweet smelling flowers, a horde of monkeys inhabiting the hill usually come out along the path to great visitors. One caution is that the visitors should not carry along with them food bags or drinks. The monkeys might harm them if they are hungry, agitated, or disturbed.

Taking the cable car : For a visitor who wants quick access, the cable car service is open from 8:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekend. The fares which include the admission fee to visit the museum are 50 baht for adults and 30 baht for children.

Interesting things The group of the royal residence on the western side of the hill. It consists of the Phetchphoomphairot Building, Pramotmahaisawan Building, Wetchayanwichienprasat Building, Ratchathammasapha Building and Hor Chatchawanwiengchai Observatory. The main residence, Phetchphoomphairot and Pramotmahaisawan Buildings are now the museum displaying the valuable objects and utensils belonging to King Rama the Fourth and the Fifth.

Phrathatjomphet It is the big white pagoda situated on the middle peak of the hill. King Mongkut renovated the old pagoda, which was there before, by making it bigger and later some Buddha relics were enshrined here.

Wat Phrakaewnoi It was situated on the eastern peak of the hill, and was constructed traditionally s the temple in the palace precinct, similar to Wat Phrakaew of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Here the interesting things are : Jedeedaeng, the red square-based pagoda. The ordination hall. The hall is a small beautifully symmetrical structure. The stucco at the gables is said to be a masterpiece of Phetchaburi. The design is in the pattern of King Mongkut's emblem, Phichai Mongkut or the conquering crown. Phra Sutthasela Chedi. The pagoda was built from greenish gray marble. An amazing thing about this is that the marble was first sculptured into pieces to make a pagoda at Ko Srichang, an island of the coast of Pattaya, a well known seaside resort on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Then it was dismantled and transported to Phetchaburi, on the western coast of the Gulf, and reconstructed here.

Phra Ram Ratchaniwet
Phra Ram Ratchaniwet This palace of European architectural style is originally called "Wang Ban Pun". It is situated in the south of the town. King Rama V commanded it built as a rainy season palace in 1916. It was used to welcome and accommodate state visitors during the reign of King Rama VI.

Tham Khao Luang
Tham Khao Luang Located 5 kms. north of Khao Wang, this cave houses a Buddha image cast by the royal command of King Rama V as a dedication to King Rama III and King Rama IV.

At the foot of the Khao Luang Hill, there is a large monastery called “Wat Tham Klaep” or Wat Bun-thawi which has a very large hall and a chapel with beautifully carved door panels.

Wat Kamphaeng Lang
Wat Kamphaeng Lang This temple, situated in the town, was originally a Khmer place of worship. It was later turned into a Buddhist temple and a shrine hall was constructed. However, the outlook of the place has not much changed due to the existence of sandstone walls and four Khmer style pagodas.

Wat Mahathat Worawihan
Wat Mahathat Worawihan This old temple is situated by the Phetchaburi River in the town centre. There is a five-topped pagoda constructed in accordance with the Mahayana concept housing Lord Buddha’s relics. The stucco designs decorated on the vihara and the ubosot reflect the excellent skill of local craftsmen.

Wat Yai Suwannaram
Wat Yai Suwannaram This is another important temple in the town, situated 1 km. east of the city hall. The main shrine hall has no windows. It contains 300-year-old mural paintings of mythical angels. The multi-purpose hall, once located in Ayutthaya’s Grand Palace, was entirely built of teak wood and decorated with fine carving work especially at the door panels. The hall also houses a preaching throne with intricate wood carvings and gold gilt works of Bangkok design.

From: www.tourismthailand.org