Wolfgang's photos with the keyword: วิหาร

The Wihan or the assembly hall was an important ancient structure originally situated at Sa-Moeng in Chiang Mai Province. It portrays the traditional style of the northern religious monuments. The rather simplistic architecture accords with the surrounding environment unlike many temporary wihans and ubosots in some temples today. There is no presiding Buddha image housed in the wihan. Instead, the small prasat, made of brick and plaster decorated with stucco motifs, houses either an image or relic of the Buddha. It is considered the most sacred monument in the community. The open-sided architecture as found in Sa-Moeng has illustrated the unique architectural style of the ancient Lanna Kingdom in Northern Thailand. The word "Wihan" comes out from the Sanskrit and Pali languages (Vihara) and means a "Buddhist monastery".