Wat Phanunchoeng

Built long before King U-Thong founded the Ayutthaya Kingdom, the Wat Phanunchoeng houses a revered Buddha image dating back to 1324 and an ornate Chinese shrine dedicated to an Ayodhya Queen. This area used to be frequented by Chinese merchants, who transformed it into a lively commercial area with goods from China including gold, porcelain and Chinese silk. The temple contains a large bronze Buddha image – the oldest in Ayutthaya – built in 1325. Walk around the main chapel to the riverside and pay respect to the Queen at the Chinese shrine. It is widely believed that the queen will fulfill a wish for those in search of a soul-mate.