Category Archives: Buddhist Architecture

The Stupas of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos

When visiting Southeast Asia, you will find a dazzling assortment of different religious buildings. None are more iconic than the stupas built to hold relics. In Thailand they are called chedis, in Myanmar, zedis… and in Laos, that. They are remarkable structures worthy of further investigation.

Stupas trace their history back to pre-Buddhist burial mounds, but they came into their own and developed after the passing of the Buddha, whose remains were buried in ten mounds. Later, more permanent structures started to be built to house relics such as the 3rd century BCE Great Stupa at Sanchi in India.

Sanchi. (Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sanchi1_N-MP-220.jpg)
Sanchi. (Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sanchi1_N-MP-220.jpg)

The original meaning was retained and the Sanskrit word stūpa literally means heap.

The Burmese, Thai and Lao all have styles that come as a result of the transmission of Theravāda Buddhism from Sri Lanka. One of the most common style of chedi in Thailand is the Lanka-style bell chedi. Interestingly, this bell shape is not much seen in Sri Lanka, where the original round Sanchi-style stupa remains the most usual. Looking at the great sites of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, we can observe some interesting styles that give us good reference points for stupas we see on our travels through Southeast Asia.

Myanmar

In Myanmar, there is a clear progression of styles. The earliest stupas were built by the Pyu people and this Pyu-style can be found at the 7th century Bawbawgyi Pagoda at the ancient city of Sri Ksetra near modern day Pyay.

Bawbawgyi. (Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BawbawgyiPaya.jpg)
Bawbawgyi. (Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BawbawgyiPaya.jpg)

This bulbous, but elongated version of the simple mound is the beginning of the Burmese stupa.

Buphaya. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Buphaya. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

In the kingdom of Bagan, the Pyu-style turned into the gourd-shape evident in the Buphaya in Bagan. 

Bagan is home to many great stupas which illustrate the stupa’s evolution in Myanmar. The wonderful 11th century Shwezigon Pagoda pioneered the banana bud design and the beginning of elongation.

Shwezigon. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Shwezigon. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Dhammayazika. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Dhammayazika. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

By the 12th century, the bell-shape of the golden Dhammayazika Pagoda, also in Bagan, came to be the standard.

Shwedagon. Photo credit: Matt Werner http://www.flickr.com/photos/makemydinner/7999526276
Shwedagon. Photo credit: Matt Werner http://www.flickr.com/photos/makemydinner/7999526276

The stunningly beautiful Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is the culmination of centuries of Burmese architectural innovation. Expanded many times by various rulers, the Shwedagon has elements of the bell shape, the banana bud, upturned and down-turned lotus petals, a turban and a diamond bud, topped with a hti (umbrella). It is the zenith of grace in stupa design.


Pha That Luang.  Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Pha That Luang. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

Laos

Laos has a unique style of stupa which stands out from those in neighbouring countries. Vientiane has the best example of the Lao-style that: Pha That Luang. This is considered to be a national treasure of Laos. It is tall and thin with a curvilinear design. It has four corners and is modelled on an unopened lotus bud.

This style is also evident, in much smaller form, in That Chom Si in Luang Prabang. The slim angular lotus sits atop Phou Si hill in the centre of the town.

That Chom Si. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
That Chom Si. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
That Dam. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
That Dam. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

In Vientiane, That Dam displays a different style. This shows some influence of its southern neighbour, Thailand, but retains an angular nature, rather than having a round ‘bell’.

"Watermelon Stupa". Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
“Watermelon Stupa”. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

Luang Prabang has one quite unusual stupa that seems more closely linked to the Sri Lankan mound shape. Known as the ‘Watermelon Stupa’, That Pathum (or That Makmo) at Wat Wisunalat is a 16th century Singhalese-style stupa and a one-of-a-kind in Laos.


Prang at Wat Choeng Tha, Ayutthaya. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Prang at Wat Choeng Tha, Ayutthaya. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

Thailand

Thailand gets the prize for the most varied styles of stupas. While many associate the Khmer-style prang with Thailand, it really isn’t a true stupa like the chedi. The famed ‘corn cob’ shape actually developed from Khmer temples and not from burial mounds. While they did evolve to have the same relic containing function, they are not quite stupas, as you can normally enter them.

Wat Chai Watthanaram. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Wat Chai Watthanaram. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

Many great examples of towering prangs are found in the old capital of Siam, Ayutthaya. A walk around the ancient city will reveal many kinds of chedi also. The most famous is the Ayutthaya-style chedi, which you can find in temples like Wat Chai Watthanaram. It is a stylized, squarer version of the bell chedi and has 12 indented corners.

Doi Suthep. (Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Doi_Suthep_Temple.JPG )
Doi Suthep. (Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Doi_Suthep_Temple.JPG )

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, you can find a wonderful example of a chedi in the heart of the ancient Kingdom of Lanna. The golden stupa at Wat Phra Doi Suthep is again a variation of the bell chedi, but is in the Lanna-style with its multiple facets and tiers.

Suwanna. (Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LamhunWPTHaripch200107c.jpg)
Suwanna. (Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LamhunWPTHaripch200107c.jpg)

In nearby Lamphun, just 25 kilometres from Chiang Mai, Wat Phra That Hariphunchai has its own special chedi. The former Mon Kingdom of Hariphunchai had its own style before it was invaded by neighbouring Lanna in the 13th century. The Haripunjaya-style chedi, Chedi Suwanna, is square and angular and looks more like an elongated pyramid.

Wat Mahathat. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Wat Mahathat. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

Travelling south to the original Thai Kingdom of Sukhothai you find another Mon Haripunjaya-style chedi at Wat Mahathat, but it is one of many different kinds that surround the main Thanan-style chedi. This is a tall, thin lotus bud that is distinctively from Sukhothai and it can only be there and in its subordinate cities.

In the capital, Bangkok, you will find many kinds of chedi, but it is a city that is home to many of the classic bell-shaped chedis that people picture when they think of Thai temples. While there are many examples, the golden chedi at Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan on the Golden Mount is a beacon that sparkles in the sun above the Bangkok skyline.

Wat Saket. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com
Wat Saket. Photo credit, thetempletrail.com

With their diverse array of stupas, these three Southeast Asian countries are a joy to discover and the photogenic architecture can provide hours of exploration. There are few other places on earth with so much to offer the interested cultural traveller.


Author Tom Billinge runs TheTempleTrail.com, an ultimate website resource for learning about famous and lesser known temples and religious sites in Southeast Asia and beyond.

The Stupas of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos
recommended Temple Trail post: Dhammayangyi Pahto, Bagan

Thai Temple Structures 101

Thai temples, known as wats, are very distinctive.  The word wat means school, but is used only to refer to temple complexes.  The Phutthawat is what we think of when we see the word temple.  It is where all of the main religious buildings are contained.  The Sanghawat is the living area for the monks.

Roof of Ayutthaya. Photo by thetempletrail.com
Roof at Ayutthaya. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Phra Ubosot

The ubosot is the most important building in the temple.  It is the ordination hall and it is where the primary Buddha image of the temple is normally housed.  The Ubosot does not have physical contact with the other buildings and is clearly marked off by eight Bai Sema (marker stones named after their similarity to Bodhi leaves).  The ubosot is where the ceremonies and rituals for the monks take place and is, therefore, the holiest part of the temple. You will notice that the entrance to the ubosot will almost always face the east.

Ubosot in Ayutthaya. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Wiharn

The wiharn is a shrine hall.  It normally houses a Buddha image.  Larger temples can have more than one wiharn.  The wiharn is where ceremonies for both monks and lay people are conducted.

Wiharn of Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Chedi

The chedi is amonument that contains a relic or the cremated remains of a monk or member of the royal family.  They vary enormously and in Thailand you will see a huge range of differing styles.  Chedis are normally constructed over a relic chamber.  They are traditionally made of laterite or brick andcovered in stucco.  Normally they are covered in gold.  Every temple typically has at least one main chedi.

Chedi at Wat Phra Keaw. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Prang

Prangs are ‘corn-cob’ shaped Khmer-style towers that also function as stupas.  They are often built over a pit containing a relic or the remains of an important person.  They sometimes have chambers you can enter or can be closed off entirely.  They are particularly prevalent in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya.

Prang in Ayutthaya. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Mondop

The mondop is normally a square building that contains a shrine or performs some other important ritual function such as a scripture repository or reliquary.  They normally have a spired roof and vary in looks and function from temple to temple.

Mondop at Wat Phra Kaew. Photo by thetempletrail.com

HorRakang

The horrakang is the bell tower of the temple.  It is used to signal the start of morning and evening prayer times and can be in any variety of shapes and styles.

Hor Rakhang in Kamphaeng Phet. Photo by thetempletrail.com

HoTrai

The hotrai is the scripture library. The structure is usually raised on brick pillars, often over a pond in order to protect the scriptures from humidity and termites.

Ho Trai of Wat Ratchburana in Phitsanulok. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Sala

A sala is a shaded rest pavilion.  Originally they were open for any travellers who needed to rest for the night.  Salas can be found all over the country in and out of wats.  They can be at the roadside or in town centres.  A sala usually doesn’t have walls and a sala in temple grounds is normally called a salawat.

Sala at the Grand Palace. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Some larger temples have a cloister around the inner sanctuary called a Phra Rabieng and many, especially in rural areas, have a school for the local children.  Temples often have cremation facilities and you can sometimes see a small crematorium building with a tall chimney on the grounds.

Crematorium at Ayutthaya. Photo by thetempletrail.com

The temple will present you with all sorts of imagery other than Buddha images. There will be monkeys and demons, devas (gods) and asuras (titans/jealous gods), Hindu gods such as Brahma and Indra.  Yakshas (ogres/earth spirits) or Singha (lions) guard the entrance of the temple.

Roof of Wat Phra Kaew. Photo by thetempletrail.com

Even though they can be a sensory overload, wats are some of the most beautiful, intricate temple structures anywhere on earth.  They are filled with deep symbolism.  A visit will reward you with an experience that allows you to touch the roots of Thai culture and see Thailand’s most magnificent heritage.


Text and photos by Tom Billinge of thetempletrail.com. The original and full version of this Thai Temples 101 article can be found here.

Photos of the Tiger Cave Temple, Thailand

The Tiger Cave Temple (or Wat Tham Suea, also spelled Wat Tham Sua) is a magnificent Buddhist temple complex located 8 kilometers northeast of Krabi, in Thailand. Perhaps it is most famous for the huge Buddha statue that can be seen from the bottom of the mountain.

The huge golden Buddha statue. Photo “Wat Tham Sua 2” by kallerna . Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The temple’s history goes back to 1975 when a monk decided to meditate in the cave. According to the legends a tiger lived in the cave leaving paw prints on its walls. Since then a huge and diverse complex has built on the site.

The pagoda of Tiger Cave Temple under construction. Photo by kallerna, via http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wat_Tham_Sua_6.jpg

More photos on our Pinterest board!

Recommended Asian Architecture Books: Tuttle

We’ve mentioned two architecture of Buddhism books from Asia-specialist publisher Tuttle before – Borobudur: Majestic Mysterious Magnificent [ISBN 9786029827903]  and Borobudur: Golden Tales of the Buddhas [ISBN 9780945971900]

Here is a selection of other architecture / design / history titles from the same publisher and associated publishers which are likely to be of interest to architects, Asian culture lovers, and travellers.

The ISBN can be searched in any online bookstore, and each image links to the book’s page on tuttlepublishing.com

Architecture: South and Southeast Asia

Burmese Design & Architecture; ISBN 9780794604639
Burmese Design & Architecture; ISBN 9780794604639
Balinese Architecture; ISBN 9780804844598
Balinese Architecture; Periplus Editions; ISBN 9780804844598
22 Walks in Bangkok: Exploring the City's Historic Back Lanes and Byways; ISBN 9780804843430
22 Walks in Bangkok: Exploring the City’s Historic Back Lanes and Byways; ISBN 9780804843430
2014-08-26_1336
Introduction to Indian Architecture; Periplus Editions; ISBN: 9780794600112

Architecture: Japan & Zen

Japanese Architecture:  An Exploration of Elements and Forms; ISBN 9784805313282
Japanese Architecture: An Exploration of Elements and Forms; ISBN 9784805313282
Impressions of Japanese Architecture; ISBN 9784805311073
Impressions of Japanese Architecture; ISBN 9784805311073
Measure and Construction of the Japanese House; ISBN 9780804814928
Measure and Construction of the Japanese House; ISBN 9780804814928
Zen Gardens: The Complete Works of Shunmyo Masuno, Japan's Leading Garden Designer; ISBN 9784805311943
Zen Gardens: The Complete Works of Shunmyo Masuno, Japan’s Leading Garden Designer; ISBN 9784805311943
Kyoto, City of Zen: Visiting the Heritage Sites of Japan's Ancient Capital; ISBN 9784805309780
Kyoto, City of Zen: Visiting the Heritage Sites of Japan’s Ancient Capital; ISBN 9784805309780
Japan's World Heritage Sites; ISBN 9784805312858
Japan’s World Heritage Sites; ISBN 9784805312858

Architecture and History: China

Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage of a Nation; ISBN 9780804835374
Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage of a Nation; ISBN 9780804835374
Chinese Bridges: Living Architecture from China's Past; ISBN 9780804843768
Chinese Bridges: Living Architecture from China’s Past; ISBN 9780804843768
In the Forbidden City; ISBN 9780989377607
In the Forbidden City; China Institute In America; ISBN 9780989377607
The Splendid Chinese Garden: Origins, Aesthetics and Architecture; ISBN 9781602200104
The Splendid Chinese Garden: Origins, Aesthetics and Architecture; Shanghai Press; ISBN 9781602200104
Classical Gardens in China; Shanghai Press; ISBN 9781602201316
Classical Gardens in China; Shanghai Press; ISBN 9781602201316
Chinese Architecture; Shanghai Press; ISBN 9781602201187
Chinese Architecture; Shanghai Press; ISBN 9781602201187
Contemporary Architecture in China; ISBN 9781602201163
Contemporary Architecture in China; Architectural Creation Magazine; ISBN 9781602201163

Visit http://www.tuttlepublishing.com/ for a huge range of interesting titles and download the full catalogue here: http://www.tuttlepublishing.com/download-our-catalog

Webliography: Buddhist Architecture in Indonesia

Here are our top recommended resources about the history of architecture in Indonesia, and travel to the historical sites, with particular focus on Buddhist temples, monuments, and archaeological areas.

(Webliography is a word we’ve just invented to mean a bibliography of web resources…)

This is a work in progress so please send us your ideas with other sites and pages we should include.


 The Top 5 Ultimate Links


 THE Essential Wikipedia Pages…


 Resources about particular places

Borobudur

Stupa Borobudur.jpg
“Stupa Borobudur” by Gunawan Kartapranata; transferred to Commons by User. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Wikipedia or Wikitravel articles on major sites

Buddhist Architecture in Indonesia
Candi Indonesia id” by Gunkarta – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

More historical architecture


Important Museums of Indonesia

Museum Nasional Indonesia.jpg
“Museum Nasional Indonesia”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Ultimate Indonesia Travel Books


Notable Commercial Travel Sites for Indonesia


General Useful Articles / Pages