Wat Khao Bandai It

Wat Bandai It is located amid a natural enclave on the outskirts of Phetchaburi town, a habitat of wild monkeys. It is an ancient temple dating back to the Sukhothai or Ayutthaya periods. The temple is located on the "Khao Bandai It" (Brick Stairs Hill) southwest of Phra Nakhon Khiri also known as Khao Wang. The Bandai It Hill has a height of 121 m. It was the place where Prince Sri Sin (brother and the rightful heir of King Songtham (reign 1610/1611-1628 CE) was imprisoned for treason against King Chetthathirat (reign 1628-1629 CE).

Khao Bandai It offers several stunning caves, such as Tham Pratham, Tham Phra Chao Suea, Tham Phra Phuttha Saiyat, and Tham Duke. Interestingly, the pair of ordination halls on the west side of the mountaintop has a leaning pagoda in the middle. The legend goes that a rich man had two wives. He donated money to renovate the temple and build a pagoda and ordered his ashes to be packed in this pagoda after he died. Later, the two wives of the rich man argued about who he loved more. So they built a pair of ordination halls next to the pagoda and prayed that if the rich man loved anyone more, may the pagoda lean to that side. It turned out that he loved his mistress more. Therefore, the pagoda leans towards the eastern ordination hall, which the mistress built.

Ayutthaya Historical Research