Wat Jong Krom

Wat Jong Krom is a restored ruin located off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya, in the Khlong Sra Bua district. The temple was situated in an area called Thung Khwan, nearly on the same northwest axis parallel to Khlong Sra Bua, between Wat Phraya Maen and Wat Phra Ram. Wat Prasat stood north and adjacent to Wat Jong Krom. The monastery's name likely refers to a walking meditation technique.

The site features a chedi, a vihara, an ordination hall and different minor chedis, all surrounded by a wall. The ground plan of the monastery is a bit uncommon. In olden times, it was the rule that there was a vihara in addition to a stupa (prang or chedi). Stupa and vihara - in the simplest design - stood in the same central longitudinal axis. Often, a chedi was first built as a memorial, indicating the exact spot at which the event took place, in whose memory the temple was established. As we find here, the ordination hall (Ubosot) is not on the main axis; the ubosot was presumably built at a later stage.

Ayutthaya Historical Research