World's biggest open-air museum (4)

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Ancient Siam (formerly known as Ancient City)(Thai: Mueang Boran) is apark constructed under the patronage of Lek Viriyaphant in the shape ofThailand. Ancient Siam is dubbed as the worlds largest outdoor museum.Besides from important architectures that was recreated or relocated,there are also many constructions which are originated form Khun LekViriyaphans imagination in the Re-Creation Area which are exotic andfascinating such as "The pavilion of the enlightened," "The RainbowBridge," "Sumeru Mountain," or "Botanical Garden from Thai Literature,"etc. Moreover, from the Re-Creation area there might be some strangefigure buildings which were built according to the written history ordrawn paintings which cannot be seen anywhere in the present such as"The Phra Kaew Pavilion," "Ho Kham" of Lampang province, etc.The Ancient City is the door opening to the heritage of Thai wisdom. Witha wide range of architectural symbols combined with fine arts andcraftsmanship, structural layout and natural environment that integrateharmoniously, The Ancient City creates kind of atmosphere that inducesvisitors to perceive and appreciate the continuity of history, cultures,religions, arts and customs of Thai people from dawn until now.

From the Re-Creationarea there might besome strange figurebuildings which werebuilt according to thewritten history ordrawn paintings whichcannot be seenanywhere in the presentsuch as "The Phra Kaew

The Phra Kaew Pavilion

Mondop of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan-Yin) :The two virtues that make it possible for humanity to livetogether in peace are kindness and justice. In MahayanaBuddhism, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara representingthe spirit of compassion is the most revered and honoredheavenly being in India, China, Tibet, Japan and Korea.After the Tang Dynasty, legends transformed this maleBodhisattva into the image of a beautiful and graciouswoman. The Chinese call her Kuan-Yin. The ladys face issad and compassionate, concerned for all humanities.Her image is rendered as a graceful female figure,wearing a chain featuring the figure of a deer.

BodhisattvaAvalokitesvara(Kuan-Yin)

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan-Yin)

It is a one-storey Thai style building with three wings and a multitiered roof. The audience hall is composed of two abutting brick and plaster buildings. The first frontal structure is the audience hall or Thong-Phra-Rong proper. The hall is roofed with porcelain tiles. The brick floor whereThe Audience Hall of Thon Buri the courtiers sat is raised one stepThe Audience Hall or the former hall of the Palace of King above the ground.Taksin (1767 –1782) now functions as the Headquarters ofthe Navy.

The throne from which the king made his pronouncementsis a stepped wooden moon stone raised 1.20 meters highwith 2 flanking staircases.

The second building isnormally called theLateral Hall of Phra ThiNang Khwang which formerly served as thekings private quarters.The floor is made fromtimber planks.

The AudienceHall or theformer hall ofthe Palace ofKing Taksin

The walls of the kingsbedchamber in theaudience hall at MuangBoran are covered withmurals painted by Mr.Kraisorn Srisuwan and hiscompany. The story isdepicted from thechronicles telling Thaihistory during the fall ofAyutthaya in 1767 A.D.and the establishment ofThon Buri, new capital

The interior decorationand furniture haspreserved a Chineseatmosphere. Visitorsmay be impressed withthe historical activitiesand achievements ofthe king portrayed inthe throne hall.

The Scripture Repository - In the past, the scripturerepository is normally raised on piles over a pond toprotect the palm leaf manuscripts from ants and termites.The one at Muang Boran has been built and preserved forposterity. The repository was brought from Wat Yai, BangKhonthi in Samut Songkhram Province.

BellTowerNearby the scripture repository there is a bell tower whichhas a unique local style hardly seen today. Muang Boranobtained this building from the same monastery.

Drum TowerThe drum tower still is usedin some Thai villagescalling the citizen to cometo the monastery or templefor their meditation.Usually a novice isclimbing up to the tower tobeat the drum.

Prang Sam Yod Lopburi

Prang Sam Yod LopburiPrang Sam Yod or theThree Spired Sanctuary,made of laterite, islocated in the heart ofLop Buri Province. Thearchitectural style,showing the influence ofKhmer art, is consideredthe art of the Lop Burischool.The sanctuary datesback to the 13th centuryA.D., when the Bayonschool of Khmer wasinitiated and prosperedin Phra Nakhon Luang(Nakhon Thom) of theKhmer Empire.

Prasat Phra Wihan

Prasat Phra Wihan stands on the summit of Phra Wihan Hillon the Thai-Cambodian border, Si Sa Ket Province. Thisstone sanctuary was built in the reign of King SuryavarmanI around 1038 A.D.

Phra Wihan (PreahVihear), walkway

Phra Wihan (PreahVihear)

Phra Wihan, Preah VihearAs for the architectural style,beginning from the depressionat the foot of the hill slope andmoving up to the hill, onepasses through a series of 4groups of stone structuresestablished at different levels.

Khao Phra Wihan atMuang Boran is anartificial hill with 54meters high, 66 meterswide and 250 meters ofhill slope. 684 pillarshave been used toshore up the hill, 2,400truckloads of rock fillwere used to create thelofty hill. The artificialhill of Preah Vihear isabout one-tenth of itsoriginal size while theprasat is smaller thanits original size byhalf. On the top ofKhao Phra Wihanprovides an excellentscenary of MuangBoran.Phra Wihan (PreahVihear)

Buddha image, Dvaravati Wihan

The Dvaravati Kingdom haslong been considered thecenter of HinayanaBuddhism. Since a largeamount of the religious artworks had been created inDvaravati, they have beenclassified as artifacts of theDvaravati school, the artschool named after the periodthese works of art belong. Theelaborate pieces of Dvaravatiartworks were created inaccordance with Buddhismbeliefs.Ubosot (ordination hall),wihan (assembly hall), chedi(stupa) and Buddha imagesexecuted during the periodare normally large. MuangBoran has reconstructed theDvaravati wihan to representthe image of the DvaravatiKingdom, whose influencehad flourished in thenortheastern region for morethan a thousand years.

Buddha image, Dvaravati Wihan

Buddha Image of theDvaravati Period

The GrandHall of WatMaha That,Sukhothai

The Grand Hall of Wat Maha That, SukhothaiThe scaled model of the Grand Hall at Muang Boran issmaller than that of the original by three-fourths.Nearby are the statues of 4 Buddha images in 4distinctive gestures which are known as Phra Si Iriyabot.The statues show unique characteristics of thedistinguished art in casting the images in Sukhothai, SiSatchanalai and Kampaeng Phet. The style ofarchitecture can be found nowhere else in Thailand.

The Grand Hall of WatMaha That, SukhothaiThe Grand Hall of WatMaha That in the oldSukhothai Kingdom iscomposed of 11 largerooms which aredivided into 2 sections:the front section wherepeople sat, and the rearsection where theBuddha images werehoused. The pillars ofthe wihan are made ofcircular slices oflaterite, stacked one ontop of another ingradually diminishingsizes.

The Grand Hall of WatMaha That, Sukhothai

The Wihan of Wat Pho Kao Ton, Sing Buri

Text & Pictures: Internet Copyright: All the images belong to their authors Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu www.slideshare.net/michaelasandaSound: Kid tueng mae - Jakajan Wanwisah

World's biggest open-air museum (4)

by michaelasanda * on Jan 20, 2013

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World’s biggest open-air museum (4) Presentation Transcript