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Amphoe Muang
Ban Hin Song Kon
The village located between Tha-le Chupson and Thanon Yai
sub-districts is famous for its chalk industry where Din So Phong
(white clay) is produced.
Kachornvit Mushroom Farm
Location: 71/1 Mu 6 Nikhom Sang Toneng Sub-District, Mueang
District, Lop Buri 15000
Since its establishment in 1981, the Mushroom Farm has developed
its technology to grow high-quality organic mushrooms using EM microbe.
Visitors can take a short tour of the farm or sample several kinds
of preserved mushrooms which are also available for sale. Farm-stay
accommodations are available but reservations must be made in advance.
Call 036 652442 or 07 0710683 for more details.
King Narai National Museum
This museum was established in 1924 by with the Phra Narai
Ratchaniwet as its exhibition halls. Currently, three historical
buildings are used to display various art objects, including an
impressive collection of Lop Buri-style sculpture and Khmer, Dvaravati,
U-Thong and Ayutthaya arts. In addition, traditional agricultural
tools, including ploughs, carts, grain separators and fish traps,
are on display in different buildings. The Museum opens daily except
Monday and Tuesday, from 9.00a.m. to 4.00p.m. Admission fee is 30
bahts. Museum services include: lectures, tour guides, special exhibitions,
slides, videos, postcards, books and a gift shop.
King Narai the Great Shrine
The Statue of King Narai the Great is located near the town
entrance. It was built to honor King Narai the Great in forging
ahead technological development, foreign relations and prosperity
to Lop Buri and the Ayutthaya Kingdom. He was the first monarch
to bring modern technology into use such as the use of terra-cotta
pipes and construction of celestial observatory. He is also remembered
for his neo-foreign policy as he established close diplomatic ties
with the European powers.
Lop Buri Zoo
A 25-acre zoo is well known for its interesting residents:
Asian and Australian birds and mammals. The most striking feature
of the zoo is the unusual family of three tigers and four dogs who
live harmoniously together in the same quarters. The zoo is located
behind the Army Theatre near the Sa Kaew Circle. Opens daily from
8.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
Oasis Agro-Farm
Location: 85/2 Mu 13 Chong Sarika Sub-District, Phatthana
Nikhom District, Lop Buri 15220
An agro-tourism farm covering an area of 50 rai, Oasis Agro-Farm
was established in 2001 to raise imported ostriches from South Africa.
The farm is divided into different zones including a butterfly farm,
an ostrich ranch, a sunflower plantation, etc. Visitors can enjoy
hand-feeding the ostriches and driving a mini-tractor along the
sunflower plantation. Admission fee is 10 bahts/person. For more
information, contact Mr. Somchat Singhapol at 01 7808928 or 01 9941256
or you can visit www.oasisfarm.net to get a glimpse of the farm.
Phra Narai Ratchaniwet (King Narai’s
Palace)
The palace was built in 1665 and 1677, when King Narai the
Great decided to make Lop Buri the second capital of the Ayutthaya
Kingdom. Although the buildings were designed by with the contributions
of French architects, the Khmer influence was still strong. The
Palace was a perfect blend of the both world, an awesome mixture
of Khmer-European styles.
After the death of King Narai the Great in 1688, the palace was
deserted. It was not until the reign of King Rama IV during the
Ratanakosin era, that the Palace was restored and renamed Narai
Ratchaniwet.
The Palace is located in the town center, between Ratchadamnoen
Road and Pratu Chai Road. The whole complex has been turned into
the Lop Buri National Museum (commonly known as King Narai National
Museum).
The Palace can be accessed through the Pratu Phayakkha, which is
currently a town park, located off Sorasak Road. The Palace opens
Wednesdays through Sundays from 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Within the Palace lies a number of compounds containing pavilions,
some built during the reign of King Narai and others constructed
during the reign of King Rama IV.
Structures built during the reign of King Narai the Great include:
Chantara Phaisan Pavilion
The first Palace of King Narai the Great in Lop Buri, the Pavilion
was subsequently turned into an audience hall after he moved his
residence to the Suttha Sawan Pavilion. The fact that the building
is of pure Thai architectural style indicates that no French architects
were involved in the design and construction process. King Rama
IV (King Mongkut of the Ratanakosin era) restored the building in
1863. The Pavilion was once used by the privy-council as a meeting
hall. Now, it serves as a hall displaying archaeological and art
objects, especially the Lop Buri-style stone Buddha images, historic
paintings from the era of King Narai the Great and Buddhist art
objects from the Ayutthaya and Ratanakosin period.
Phra Khlang Supharat
This compound was built as a place to store royal treasures and
royal goods sold to foreign merchants during the late 1600s. It
is commonly known as “the Twelve Treasure Houses”.
Elephant and Horse Stables
This compound is located close to the wall separating the outer
and middle sections of the Palace.
The Water Reservoir
Constructed during the reign of King Narai the Great, the reservoir
stored water which came from a freshwater lake “Tale Chupsorn”,
through the well designed terra cotta pipes. Tale Chupsorn was the
main lake supplying drinking water to Lop Buri residents.
The Dusit Sawan Thanya Maha Prasat Hall
Constructed under the royal command of King Narai the Great, the
Hall was formerly used by King Narai as an audience hall receiving
high-ranking foreign ambassadors. This was the place where the King
received Chevalier de Chaumont, the representative of King Louis
XIV of France. The Hall was built in a perfect blending of French
and Thai architectural styles.
The Suttha Sawan Pavilion
The Pavilion was once located amidst a beautifully decorated garden
with ponds and fountains. This was the place where King Narai the
Great resided and died on 11 July 1688. Apart from the Pavilion,
which had been restored by King Mongkut, only the remains of man-made
hills and fountains can be seen.
Kraison Siharat Hall
Commonly known as Phra Thinang Yen, the Hall is located on an island
in a dried up lake, Thale Chupson, which once supplied fresh drinking
water to the people of Lop Buri. Kraison Siharat Hall was used as
the residence of King Narai, Jesuits and envoys of King Louis XIV
of France when they came to witness a lunar eclipse on 11 December,
1685
Phra Chao Hao Building
Built by King Narai the Great, the building is located to the south
of the outer section of the palace. Serving as the King’s private
audience hall, the building featured Thai-style architecture of
which it is currently possible to see only the remains of wall sections
with visible decorative motifs at the doors and windows.
Banquet Hall
Surrounded on three sides by ponds, the Hall was built to entertain
important foreign visitors. One of the remains includes a brick
platform facing the Hall, which was used as a stage or theater possibly
for shadow plays or dances indicating that the place was once used
as an entertainment compound.
Phiman Mongkut Pavilion
This pavilion was a three-story brick building where King Rama
IV (King Mongkut) resided when he visited Lop Buri during the renovation
of the Palace. Connected to the pavilion are three other buildings
namely Suttha Winitchai Pavilion, Chai Sattrakon Pavilion and Akson
Sattrakhom. All of these buildings are now being used as the offices
of the Lop Buri National Museum.
Phra Prathiap Building
A group of eight two-story buildings built behind King Mongkut’s
residence (Phiman Mongkut Pavilion), which were used as residences
for inner court officials.
Royal Guards Residence
This is located at the entrance of the middle court.
 Phra
Prang Sam Yot
Located on Vichayen Road, approximately 200 meters from
the railway station, Phra Prang Sam Yot is Lop Buri’s best
known landmark and provincial symbol. A former Hindu Shrine built
in the 13th century in the classic Bayon style of Khmer architecture,
the compound comprises three prangs (towers) linked by a corridor.
The three laterite and sandstone spires decorated with classic stucco
are believed to have originally represented the Hindu Trimurti;
Brahman (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Siva (the destroyer).
During the reign of King Narai, the shrine was converted into a
Buddhist temple when a brick viharn located to the east which houses
a grand U-Thong-Ayutthaya style Buddha image was probably built.
Buddha images were later added to the two prangs. The temple is
open at 8.00 a.m. until 6.00 p.m., admission fee is 30 bahts.
Prang Khaek
Prang Khaek is the oldest monument of Lop Buri and the oldest
Khmer-style Hindu Shrine to be found in Thailand’s central
region. A fascinating small compound of Khmer remains, it consists
of the three brick prangs constructed without adjoining corridors.
Prang Khaek was restored by King Narai the Great in the 17th century.
Recently restored by the Fine Arts Department, it is located on
Vichayen Road, near the Narai Ratchaniwet Palace.
San Phra Kan
Another former Brahman Shrine located next to Wat Phra Prang
Sam Yot, across the railway station, is San Phra Kan. The compound
is comprised of both old and new sections. The former can be dated
back to the Khmer period, as attested by the laterite mound that
was found. The new section, constructed in 1951, contains a famous
object of worship – a four-armed Vishnu figure fixed with a
Buddha's head. Located nearby is a guardian house in which various
Buddha and Hindu images are enshrined. A troop of monkeys begging
for food usually surrounds the Shrine. Sometimes, they can become
offensive to visitors, especially those giving out food for their
photographs.
Vichayen House
The Vichayen House was built at the royal command of King
Narai the Great. It initially served as a residence of Chevalier
de Chaumont, the first French ambassador to Thailand during the
reign of King Louis XIV. Later on, it was occupied by the Greek,
Constantine Phaulkon, who later became King Narai’s advisor
and was granted the position of royal minister – Chao Phraya
Vichayen. Located just 300 meters from Prang Khaek, the compound
has many interesting visible ruins including the Roman Catholic
Chapel, a hall of residence for ambassador and mission members,
brick water tanks and fountains. Admission fee is 30 bahts.
Wat Mani Chonlakhan
Built during the reign of King Mongkut, the temple was originally
called Wat Ko Kaew as it was located on a small island. Remains
found in the compound include the Chedi Luang Pho Saeng, the ubosot,
the viharn and a large Buddha image situated along the riverside.
Wat Nakhon Kosa
Located north of the railway station near San Phra Kan is
Wat Nakhon Kosa which may have originally been a Hindu Shrine as
the temple was built in 1157 by the Khmers. Later on, U-Thong style
cement Buddha images were added on the prangs.
Wat Phra Si Maha That
 The
oldest temple with tallest Prang in Lop Buri, Wat Phra Si Maha That
is located behind the railway station near the San Phra Kan. The
Lop-Buri style prang in front of the temple was built around 1157
when the town came under Khmer rule. The U-Thong style Buddha images
on the prang and the large viharn were later added by King Narai
the Great. The laterite prang still has some original lintels and
stucco work intact. A number of other chedis and prangs - most of
which were restored – were greatly influenced by both the Sukhothai
and Ayutthaya styles.
Wat San Paulo
A Jesuit Church founded by the Portuguese during the reign
of King Narai the Great, Wat San Paulo is situated approximately
3 kilometers east of town, off of Ramdaecho Road. The word San Paulo
was probably dubbed by Thais – especially when they pronounced
Saint Paul or Saint Paulo in Thai style. Visible in the site are
the remains of a brick wall and stucco tower, as well as an octagonal,
3-story, observatory.
Wat Sao Thong Thong
Situated on Rue de France, to the north of Phra Narai Ratchaniwet,
this western style viharn was believed to have originally been built
by King Narai the Great as a church for Christian envoys. It was
subsequently restored by King Narai the Great, who ordered the replacement
of Thai windows with Western-style windows with Gothic-designs in
the secondary chapel. Later on, the viharn was converted into a
Buddhist temple. It contains a large seated Ayutthaya-style Buddha
image.
In addition, assorted Lop-Buri style Buddha images can be found
on the surrounding walls.
Wat Yang Na Rangsi (Lop Buri Boat Museum)
Located on the bank of the Lop Buri River, 9 kilometers
south of the town center along the Lop Buri-Bang Pahan route is
Wat Yang Na Rangsi. The temple is famous for its Buddha images which
were made of sandstone and quartz. It is also notable for its wooden
sala (a wooden teaching hall) which was built in 1927 in a typical
central region style. The sala has been converted into the Lop Buri
Boat Museum, where a large collection of local vessels, in particular
a one-seat barge, are exhibited.
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