
A prasat (Thai: ปราสาท, from Sanskrit: prāsāda), or more accurately, kudakhan (กุฎาคาร, from Pali/Sanskrit: kūṭāgāra) or rueanyot (เรือนยอด), is a Thai architectural form reserved for royal palaces of the monarch or for sacred religious structures. It is a building featuring an ornate roof structure, usually multi-tiered, with one or more spires. The form symbolizes the centre of the universe, which is traditionally associated with the monarch or the Buddha.[1][2] Prasat forms are widely used in the buildings of the Grand Palace, and are also found in some Buddhist temples (wat) and in the architecture of the temporary crematoria used for royal funerals.
Architectural historians have classified kudakhan into several categories, according to the shape of the spire: mondop-shaped, prang-shaped, mongkut-shaped, and others (including stupa-shaped and phra kiao–shaped, depending on the author).[2][3]
Gallery
Mondop-shaped
 Sutthaisawan Prasat Throne Hall, Grand Palace Sutthaisawan Prasat Throne Hall, Grand Palace
 Aphon Phimok Prasat Pavilion, Grand Palace Aphon Phimok Prasat Pavilion, Grand Palace
.jpg.webp) Rueanyot Borom Mangkhalanusorani, Dusit Palace Rueanyot Borom Mangkhalanusorani, Dusit Palace
 Aisawan Thipphaya-at Pavilion, Bang Pa-in Palace Aisawan Thipphaya-at Pavilion, Bang Pa-in Palace
 Royal crematorium of Princess Bejaratana Royal crematorium of Princess Bejaratana
 Loha Prasat, Wat Ratchanatdaram Loha Prasat, Wat Ratchanatdaram
Prang-shaped
 Wetchayan Wichian Prasat Throne Hall, Phra Nakhon Khiri Wetchayan Wichian Prasat Throne Hall, Phra Nakhon Khiri
 Prasat Phra Thep Bidon, Wat Phra Kaew Prasat Phra Thep Bidon, Wat Phra Kaew
 
Mongkut-shaped
.jpg.webp) Wihan Yot, Wat Phra Kaew Wihan Yot, Wat Phra Kaew
_02.jpg.webp) Phra Mondop, Wat Pho Phra Mondop, Wat Pho
See also
- Pyatthat – Burmese equivalent
References
- ↑ Royal Society. พจนานุกรมฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสถาน [Royal Institute Dictionary] (in Thai).
- 1 2 Pastraporn Keanprom (2014). "รูปแบบพระปรางค์และสถาปัตยกรรมที่มียอดปรางค์ในรัชกาลที่ 4–6" [Architectural Style of phra prangs and steeple prangs during the Reign of King Rama IV-VI]. NAJUA: History of Architecture and Thai Architecture (in Thai). 11: 226–253. ISSN 2697-3901. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- ↑ Athit Limmun (2005). การศึกษากุฎาคารในสมัยรัตนโกสินทร์ [A study on kudakhan in the Rattanakosin period] (PDF) (Master's thesis) (in Thai). Chulalongkorn University. ISBN 974-53-2626-7.