King Narai the Great Monument The statue of King Narai the Great stands at the entrance to the town. The historic city of Lop Buri enjoyed tremendous prosperity for over 3,000 years and rose to its height of civilization during the reign of King Narai the Great, one of the great kings of Ayutthaya who made Lop Buri the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam. Noted for his sharp intellect and skills in international diplomacy, King Narai the Great was the first Siamese monarch to establish diplomatic relations with France, then under the rule of King Louis XIV. He also pursued cordial relations with other Western powers.

King Narai was fascinated by the technological and scientific developments of the West and brought western architecture, engineering, and astronomy to the Siamese kingdom. Foreign influence is clearly visible in many of the structures built during his reign as seen in the application of modern technology in the construction of an observatory and in the laying of terracotta pipes to supply water to the palace.

As King Narai spent eight to nine months of the year in Lop Buri, the city functionally served as a second capital city to Ayutthaya and it evolved into an important centre of administration, trade and international relations. It was also an important port of call for trade vessels heading south. With the battle skills of King Narai's army uncontested, Lop Buri saw the emergence of exquisite art and architecture and its cultural sophistication flourished.

Location: Situated at Narai Maharat Road

Phra Narai Ratchanivet Palace In 1666 A.D., King Narai the Great commissioned the construction of the Phra Narai Ratchanivet Palace, taking twelve years to complete. A place with a rich history and fascinating past, today the whole compound is the site of the National Museum of Lop Buri which houses one of Thailand’s most interesting historical collections. King Narai the Great Fair, an annual celebration, is held every February.

Phra Kan Shrine or Kala Shrine (San Phra Kan)
The shrine houses a crude image of Kala, the Hindu god of time and death. This ancient Khmer sanctuary, dating back to around the early 16th Buddhist century, is situated on a mound made of laterite blocks stacked on top of each other. A pavilion constructed in 1951 stands in front of the site and was built over the old foundation from the period of King Narai the Great. The assembly hall houses a headless statue with four hands that could have either been a statue of the god Narai (the Thai name for the Hindu god, Vishnu — the Preserver and Protector) in the Lop Buri art style or Avalokitesvara or Lokesvara, the Buddha of Compassion. A sandstone head of a Buddha image from the Ayutthaya period was later attached to the original statue and is the object of worship.

Pilgrims and visitors frequently leave food and fruit at the shrine as merit-making offerings. The daily buffet attracts a troupe of monkeys who have made the shaded area around the shrine their home. Knowing that they will not be harmed, the monkeys are used to being around people and make regular visits to the shrine.

Location: The Phra Kan Shrine is situated east of the railway and opposite Phra Prang Sam Yot

Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat is of great historical and archaeological importance. The monastery is thought to have been built during the 12th century when the town of Lavo was part of the ancient Khmer empire. Monuments built during this time were restored during the Ayutthaya period and remnants of Khmer-style corn-cob-shaped towers (prang) and Sukhothai style chedis can still be seen dotted around present-day Lop Buri.

Holy relics, pieces of bone of the historical Buddha, are enshrined in the main ‘prang’, the Khmer-style corn-cob shaped tower, at Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat. Chedis or stupas containing holy relics are called ‘phra that’. The word ‘chedi’ originates from the word ‘cetiya’ in Pali. The chedi, or stupa, is a solid cone-shaped monument. Chedis throughout the Thai kingdom reflect a vast range of architectural styles. Some take the shape of an inverted bowl or bell-shaped structure, while chedis in Northern Thailand are multi-sided and more elaborate. Chedis symbolise the enduring stability of Buddhism.

Location: Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat is situated opposite the Lop Buri railway station.

Wat Sao Thong Thong The temple is situated to the northwest of the royal palace complex. The viharn — an assembly hall or a rectangular building within a temple complex usually built to house Buddha images, and the main Buddha image were constructed during the Ayutthaya period. The viharn is used for various ceremonies involving the Sangha (monks) and lay people, except for the ordination of monks. Pay respects to Luang Pho Toh, the principle Buddha image housed in the viharn.

King Narai subsequently restored the monastery and changed the doors and windows of the viharn to the Gothic style so the viharn could serve as a Christian church. The assembly hall was also used for the conduct of Persian religious rites. Other buildings of interest are Pichu and Khotchasan or Khorasan, an old building believed to have been used as accommodation for visiting guests and Persian envoys during the time of King Narai the Great.

Location: Wat Sao Thong Thong is situated on Farang Set Road, connecting Phra Narai Rachaniwet Palace and Baan Wichaiyen, the Royal House to Receive Envoys, on Wichayen Road.

Luuk Sorn Shrine (City Pillar Shrine)
Luuk Sorn shrine is the site of the ancient city pillar shrine. In one of his chronicles HRH Prince Damrong Rachanuphap made the following observation about the shrine.

The Lop Buri city shrine called Son Phra Ram (Rama’s arrow) is situated near the market to the north of the palace. It is either from before or during the Khmer period. The shrine was named Son Phra Ram because of the mention of the great Ramayana epic in the city’s chronicles. According to legend, having won the battle with Thotsakant, the demon king, Rama returned to rule Ayutthaya. He wanted to build a city wherever the arrow (sorn) he shot landed. The arrow however landed on a mountain. So he used his magical powers to flatten it. Upon his arrival at the site, Hanuman — the monkey king who is bestowed with magical powers, used his tail to sweep the ground to create city walls to mark the site. Indra, god of sky, clouds and monsoon and guardian of the East, assigned Phra Phitsanukam to descend to earth to build the city. When completed, Rama named the city, Lop Buri. According to ancient folklore, the city pillar, a stone pillar which stands approximately a metre from the ground, is said to be Rama’s arrow which turned to stone and the earth mounds along the city walls were made by the sweeps of Hanuman’s tail.

Location: Situated on Rim Nam Road behind Wat Pun Yai near Baan Wichayen.