Wat Sao Thong Thong, Royal Monastery

This is an ancient temple, originally two separate temples: Wat Ruak and Wat Sao Thong Thong. Phraya Boran Ratchathanin (Phon Techakup), Commissioner of the Ayutthaya region, reported and proposed to His Royal Highness Prince Wachirayanaworarat, Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, during his inspection of the monastic community in Ayutthaya, that Wat Ruak had an ordination hall and Wat Sao Thong Thong had a viharn (main hall), and it would be appropriate to merge them into a single temple. His Royal Highness agreed and decided they should be one temple, named Wat Sao Thong Thong.

Interesting features within the temple include the Viharn, built since the reign of King Narai the Great of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It was originally built as a place of worship for another religion. According to a map made by a French craftsman, this area was a residence and possibly a place for Islamic religious ceremonies for the Persians. Currently, it houses Luang Pho To, a Buddha image in the Maravijaya posture, which has long been regarded as a sacred Buddha image of Lopburi. The walls of the Viharn are perforated with arched niches, housing various Buddha images. The main Buddha image in the Ordination Hall is a royal Buddha image in the Haming Samut posture. Additionally, there is the Pijoo Building, also known as the Kocchasan Building or Korasan Building. This is an old building believed to have been used as accommodation for foreign guests and Persian envoys.