Sanctuary of Truth

The Sanctuary of Truth (Thai:ปราสาทสัจธรรม) is an unfinished Hindu-Buddhist temple and museum in Pattaya, Thailand. It was designed by the Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphan[1] in the Ayutthaya style. The building is notably constructed entirely out of wood, specifically Mai Deang, Mai Takien, Mai Panchaat, and Teak, and it contains only wood-carved idols and sculptures. Construction first began on the Sanctuary of Truth in 1981[2] and continues as of 2020, though visitors are permitted inside with hard hats.[3] Located on 13 hectares of land, the temple houses an internal space of 2,115 m2,[4] with the tallest spire reaching to 105 m.[5]

Sanctuary of Truth
Religion
AffiliationBuddhism
Location
LocationPattaya, Chonburi, Thailand
Architecture
StyleThai architecture
Main Entrance.
Upper part of the temple near

History

The building has been under construction since 1981, and may not be finally completed until 2025 at the earliest.[6] Though under construction, tourists are able to visit the Sanctuary.

Physical description

Inspired by the temples in Ayutthaya,[7] the hand-carved wood temple features Thai architecture. The temple was built by Lek Viriyaphan (Thai:เล็ก วิริยะพันธุ์).[8] Every surface of the structure is decorated with ornamentation from the Thai, Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, and Khmer traditions.[9]

The Sanctuary is made of several different types of wood, giving different parts of the Sanctuary different textures. The oldest wood that has been used is takien wood, used to build the main post and expected to last for 600 years.[10] The structure is composed of wood such as Xylia xylocarpa (Thai:ไม้แดง), Mai-Takien, Mai-Panchart, and teakwood.

Out side building

The Sanctuary features a four-faced Brahma statue on its rooftop. The Northern hall features Guanyin and other sculptures. The Southern hall features astronomical themes, namely the sun, moon, and planets, in addition to sculptures of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The Western hall features representations of the Classical element (earth, wind, water, and fire). The Eastern hall features familial representations. The wooden Sanctuary is over 100 meters tall and makes for an impressive sight against the backdrop of the Gulf of Thailand. The indoor space is 2,115 square meters.[10]

Interior

See also

References
  1. "Sanctuary of Truth Pattaya - Ticket price 400 Baht". www.renown-travel.com. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  2. "Life of the Builder".
  3. "The other side of the Sanctuary of Truth".
  4. "Background of the Sanctuary of Truth Museum".
  5. "Welcome to the Sanctuary of Truth".
  6. "Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya". Thaizer. 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  7. "The Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya". Toast to Thailand. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  8. "Sanctuary of Truth". Pattaya Sanook. 2016-04-21. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  9. Newsroom, T. A. T. (2015-01-27). "The Sanctuary of Truth - one of the wonders of Southeast Asia". TAT Newsroom. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  10. "Homepage". Sanctuary of Truth. Retrieved 2019-11-01.

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