City Pillar Shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat

City Pillar Shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat (12 January, 2013)


The City Pillar Shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat is the shrine housing the guardian deity of the city. The tradition of erecting city pillar shrines date back to 21 April, 1782, when King Rama I erected the first city pillar shrine in the kingdom. The City Pillar Shrine of Bangkok is the first building to be built in the new capital, and is older than the Grand Palace and other civic buildings of the city.

Known in Thai as Lak Muang, the City Pillar Shrine houses the pillar that was driven half way into the ground to mark the founding of the city. Over time, the tradition of building city pillar shrines spread from Bangkok across Thailand, so that most Thai cities today has a city pillar shrine.

The city pillar shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat at dusk, with smaller Brahma shrines surrounding it (12 January, 2013)


The city of Nakhon Si Thammarat is much older than its city pillar, as it is a very old city and the tradition of building city pillar shrines was not yet in place when it was established. Nevertheless, it embraced the culture of having such a shrine as the adobe of the guardian spirit of the city.

I visited the shrine in the company of a small group of photographer enthusiast friends during our recent visit to Nakhon Si Thammarat. We arrived at close to sunset, and was able to enjoy photographing the City Pillar Shrine during the blue hour. The City Pillar of Nakhon Si Thammarat is a gilded pillar encased in a perspex tube. It is surrounded by four smaller Brama-style pillars, each within their respective shrines.

The city pillar shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat at nightfall (12 January, 2013)


Hawker stalls outside the City Pillar Shrine (12 January, 2013)


Hawker outside the Nakhon Si Thammarat City Pillar Shrine (12 January, 2013)

Location of the City Pillar Shrine of Nakhon Si Thammarat

List of City Pillar Shrines in Thailand

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