Wat Phanom Yong

Wat Phanom Yong, or the Monastery of Wet Nurse Yong, is an active monastery located off Ayutthaya’s city island in the northwestern area, in the Tha Wasukri Sub-district. It is situated on the north bank of Khlong Mueang, the old Lopburi River in earlier times. Wat Sala Pun lies in its vicinity.

The history of this monastery is rather vague (as most of the ancient monasteries in Ayutthaya). The monastery was likely built during the reign of King Narai (1656-1688 CE). The story goes that the area once was a garden owned by a wet nurse of King Narai. This wet nurse (Phra Nom) was named Phrayong. Upon her death, a monastery was built and named in her honour. The initial name was Wat Phranom Yong, an aggregation of Phranom and Yong. Around 1923 CE, someone spelt the temple's name slightly differently, deviating from the original meaning of its original name - local people tended not to pronounce the letter "r", and the temple became known as Phanom Yong. The temple was deserted after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 CE.

Ayutthaya Historical Research