Wat Sala Pun วัดศาลาปูน Historic 2nd Class Royal Temple - Ayutthaya Thailand 2025

Wat Sala Pun (also known as Wat Sala Pun Worawihan or วัดศาลาปูนวรวิหาร in Thai, meaning “Monastery of the Pavilion of Lime”) is an active Buddhist temple located off the main city island of Ayutthaya. It is situated in the northwestern area of the ancient city, approximately 2-3 kilometers from the central historical park. Unlike many of Ayutthaya’s iconic ruins, which were devastated during the Burmese invasion of 1767, Wat Sala Pun is a well-preserved, functioning monastery and a second-class royal temple of the Maha Nikaya sect, ranked as “worawiharn” (4th grade) under Thailand’s royal temple classification system established in 1913.

The temple’s exact construction date remains unknown due to limited historical records, but its architecture and features suggest origins in the Late Ayutthaya period (roughly 16th-18th centuries), reflecting the kingdom’s architectural evolution during its prosperous middle and late eras.

The temple remains active today, serving as a place of worship and community gathering, contrasting with the ruined state of more famous sites like Wat Mahathat or Wat Phra Si Sanphet.

Wat Sala Pun exemplifies Late Ayutthaya architectural style, characterized by refined details and influences from earlier periods, including Khmer and Sri Lankan elements adapted over centuries. The complex is oriented northwest-southeast and enclosed by a surrounding wall, with key structures including:

• Ubosot (Ordination Hall): The central building features a three-tiered roof with two porches. The front porch has three doorways (two small flanking a larger central one), while the rear has two. It incorporates west-European decorative elements between the doors, possibly from Ayutthaya’s era of international trade. The roof is supported by two columns on the porches, and the hall’s long sides have three rectangular windows each. Inside, rows of pillars support the structure, topped with lotus petal decorations—a hallmark of 17th-century Ayutthaya design.

• Chedi (Stupa): A bell-shaped chedi stands behind the ubosot, encircled by a low inner wall, symbolizing Buddhist relics and the temple’s spiritual core.

• Ho Trai (Scripture Library): A restored building for storing Buddhist scriptures, it boasts well-preserved stucco work in floral patterns on its pediment. The highlight is a beautifully hand-carved wooden Tripitaka cabinet made of black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay or gold-painted carvings. This cabinet holds large, thick mulberry paper books (librettos) depicting Jataka tales (stories of the Buddha’s previous lives), the Phra Malai legend (a monk’s journey to heavens and hells), and scenes from the Buddha’s life. These artifacts underscore the temple’s role in preserving Buddhist intellectual traditions.

The temple’s layout and features reflect Ayutthaya’s architectural progression: from prang towers in the early period (14th-15th centuries, influenced by Khmer styles) to prominent chedis in the middle period (Sri Lankan rounded stupas), and larger ubosots with ornate details in the late period. Wat Sala Pun’s survival and preservation make it a “hidden gem” among Ayutthaya’s over 400 temple sites, offering a glimpse into the kingdom’s blend of indigenous and foreign influences.

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