Wat Sri Pho

Wat Sri Pho, or the Monastery of the Magnificent Bodhi Tree, was located off the city island in the northern area, in Khlong Sra Bua Sub-district. The temple was situated on the west bank of Khlong Sra Bua in a field called Thung Khwan. Wat Phrom Kalayaram stood in the north, Wat Phra Ngam in the west and Wat Khai Wua in the south. Wat Bailo and Wat Klang lie on the opposite side of the Sra Bua canal.

Following an inscription inside the new ordination hall (left wall), a certain Thao Phrom Kankhan built this temple in 1749 CE during King Borommakot's reign (1733-1758 CE). The temple officially received the bai sema or boundary stones in 1757 CE. The temple site, together with Wat Phra Kalayaram, was occupied by the Burmese army in the last Burmese-Ayutthaya war of 1766-1767 CE. The story goes that many Burmese soldiers were killed on the site due to heavy cannon fire from the city. The temple was left void of Buddhist clergy after the war.

Wat Sri Pho and the adjacent Wat Phra Kalayaram were fused in 1942 CE. A new ordination hall was built on the ruins of the old ubosot of Wat Phra Kalayaram, and the whole complex received the name Wat Mai Sri Pho (the word "Mai" means "new").

Ayutthaya Historical Research