Wat Chang Lom

This temple is located almost at the centre of the historic town, and is situated on the plain to the east of Khao Phanom Phloeng, an important low hill inside the town. The most important historic building at this temple is the main chedi of Sri Lankan style bounded by a demarcation wall. The base of the chedi is high and square in its shape. The front side of the base was decorated with eight sculptures of elephants while other sides were decorated with nine sculptures of elephants. There was one sculpture at each corner of the base. Altogether there were 39 sculptures of elephant around the base. The sculptures of elephants at Wat Chang Lom are quite different from those found at other temples. These represent full standing elephants and are taller than life elephants. Some scholars believe that this was the temple mentioned in the text of the Stone Inscription No 1, made by King Ramkhamhaeng in 1286 AD, as the place where the king dug up the Buddha remains in order to make homage to the remains before he reburied and built a chedi over the remains.

Ayutthaya Historical Research