Wat Ratchaburana, the Temple of the Royal Restoration, was constructed in the 15th century by King Borom ratchathirat II (1424-48) as a memorial to his two elder brothers, who died in a power struggle following the reign of their father, King Intharatcha I (1409-24). The surviving brother, King Borom Ratchathirat II, was the seventh king of Ayutthaya.
In 1957 thieves broke into the crypt of the central tower (the prang) and plundered a great number of relics interred with the two brothers. Some of the treasures were later recovered and installed in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum (located nearby). The following year the temple was excavated and restored. A staircase now descends into the crypt where visitors can see several colorful frescoes from the Ayutthaya period.
The design of the temple is derived from the Khmer prasat of earlier periods but is loftier with a higher base and a taller central tower. The architectural historian Clarence Aasen writes that the prang resembles an “attenuated corn-cob”.
