WAT JAN (5)





Wat Jan, or the Monastery of the Moon (1), is a defunct temple located in the southwest area of Ayutthaya's city island in the Pratu Chai Sub-district, west of the Somdet Phra Sri Nakarin Park (U-Thong Soi 22). This area is part of the Ayutthaya Historical Park.


The temple is shown only on a 1993 CE Fine Arts Department (FAD) map. The location of Wat Jan indicated on the 1993 CE map seems to be the same as Wat Raeng (2) on the 2007 CE FAD map. There is thus an issue here as on the 1993 CE map, Wat Raeng is in a more southern position (14° 20' 33.7" N, 100° 32' 46.2" E).


The monastery stood between Wat Raeng and Wat Sakae. Wat Pho Phueak stood south, and Wat Wang Chai was southeast.


Historical data about the monastery and its construction are unknown.


Based on the 1993 CE map, the site must have been approximately located in geographical coordinates: 14° 20' 33.4" N, 100° 32' 49.9" E.


Footnotes:


(1) The word "Jan" [transliterated: Chan] could also be translated as "sandalwood", written commonly in Thai as จันทน์. Many times, Thai monasteries were called after (medicinal) trees or flowers. Sandalwood is one of the popular scents used for incense. As all the 19th century map shows จันทร์, I kept the correct translation, being "moon".





(View of the site of Wat Jan)