A prasat ( Thai: ปราสาท, from Sanskrit: prāsāda), or more accurately, kudakhan (กุฎาคาร, from Pali/Sanskrit: kūṭāgāra) or rueanyot (เรือนยอด), is a Thai architectural form reserved for royal palaces of the monarch or for sacred religious structures. It is a building featuring an ornate roof structure, usually multi-tiered, with one or more spires. The form symbolizes the centre of the universe, which is traditionally associated with the monarch or the Buddha. ^{[1] [2]} Prasat forms are widely used in the buildings of the Grand Palace, and are also found in some Buddhist temples ( wat) and in the architecture of the temporary crematoria used for royal funerals.

Architectural historians have classified kudakhan into several categories, according to the shape of the spire: mondop-shaped, prang-shaped, mongkut-shaped, and others (including stupa-shaped and phra kiao–shaped, depending on the author). ^{[2] [3]}

Gallery

Mondop-shaped

• 
  Sutthaisawan Prasat Throne Hall, Grand Palace
• 
  Aphon Phimok Prasat Pavilion, Grand Palace
• 
  Rueanyot Borom Mangkhalanusorani, Dusit Palace
• 
  Aisawan Thipphaya-at Pavilion, Bang Pa-in Palace
• 
  Royal crematorium of Princess Bejaratana
• 
  Loha Prasat, Wat Ratchanatdaram

Prang-shaped

• 
  Wetchayan Wichian Prasat Throne Hall, Phra Nakhon Khiri
• 
  Prasat Phra Thep Bidon, Wat Phra Kaew
• 
  Wat Phichayayatikaram

Mongkut-shaped

• 
  Wihan Yot, Wat Phra Kaew
• 
  Phra Mondop, Wat Pho

See also

• Pyatthat – Burmese equivalent

References