Wat Khiriwong

Wat Khiriwong sits on Matuli Road in Pak Nam Pho, right where the Ping and Nan rivers meet to become the Chao Phraya — a detail that matters, because it’s this river-confluence position, not the temple’s size, that makes the four-storey Phra Chulamani Chedi on its hilltop one of Nakhon Sawan’s best free viewpoints. Entry is free, open daily 08:00-18:00.

The temple site itself is old: built in the late Sukhothai period, it fell into ruin and sat abandoned for roughly 500 years until a wandering monk rediscovered it in the early 1960s. Restoration ran through 1961-1977, but the landmark most visitors come for — the Phra Chulamani Chedi crowning the hill — is newer still, built over 17 years (1990-2007) by the temple’s then-abbot, Luang Pho Maha Bunrot, on the footprint of the old Sukhothai-era chedi.

The chedi has four floors, and it’s worth working through them rather than heading straight for the view. The ground floor is where visitors light incense and candles; the second floor holds life-size statues of revered Thai monks — among them Somdet Toh of Wat Rakhang and Luang Pu Thuat of Wat Chang Hai — alongside a 12-zodiac replica of the Buddha’s footprint set on a base carved with a naga (dragon-serpent) pattern, a nod to Nakhon Sawan’s own name and symbolism. Outside on the same level stands a statue and short biography of Luang Pho Maha Bunrot. The top floor enshrines a replica of the revered Phra Phuttha Chinnarat image and Buddha relics, framed by wall paintings depicting the Buddha’s life.

Separately, inside the main viharn, look for Phra Phuttha Chinnasi — a large stucco Buddha in the Maravijaya (subduing Mara) posture on a full-lotus base measuring roughly 10 by 9 metres. It’s a deliberate blend of three eras of Thai Buddhist art: Chiang Saen style in the upper body and lotus-bud halo, Sukhothai style in the face and arms, and Rattanakosin style in the altar base — a rare single-image survey of Thai sculptural history in one seated figure.

Insider Tip: Climb to the fourth floor around an hour before sunset. From there you can pick out Khao Kop hill, Pak Nam Pho market, Sawan Park, Dechatiwong Bridge, and on clear days the edge of Bueng Boraphet wetlands in the distance — the full geography of Nakhon Sawan laid out from one hilltop.

Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees, and remove shoes before entering any of the shrine floors. There’s parking on-site, and the temple works well as a family stop — the chedi’s stairs are gentle enough for kids, even if the climb to the fourth floor takes a bit of stamina.