Wat Khao Bandai It (วัดเขาบันไดอิฐ)

Thai. ‘Brick Stairway Mountain Temple’. Name of a Buddhist temple in Phetchaburi, which is located on  a 121 meter tall hill named Khao Bandai It, from which it gets its name, which in turn gets its name from the brick staircase that starts from the foot of the mountain in between Mon Thep Nimit Buddha Pond (fig.) and Sala Taeng Ngae (fig.). The mountain has many caves, of which some have been turned into Buddhist shrines. The temple's ubosot is located on a separate platform somewhere halfway to the summit. On this platform is also a wihaan which is of similar dimensions and built in a similar style, and erected in pair with the ubosot. In between these two buildings stands a white chedi, thus bringing the whole in complete symmetry, which is perhaps most apparent when seen from the summit. The ubosot is known for its charming and unique art-style, including of it gable board (fig.), which featured on a Thai postage stamp issued in 2005, as part of a set of four triangular stamps on Thai gables (fig.). The hilltop has a large building of which the roof doubles as a platform that has a giant Buddha image. Next to it is another platform with a stupa. Both offer panoramic views of the area, including of Khao Wang (fig.), the city's palace mountain with the remains of the Phra Nakhon Khiri summer palace (fig.) of King Mongkut, located just opposite of Khao Bandai It. See MAP and TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2) and (3). 回