Temple Trekkin…
Of all the unforgettable images left in the mind
of a visitor to the Kingdom, the truly majestic, shimmering
and almost mystical looking Thai temple, or “
wat” in
Thai, has surely got to be way up there among the best.
It
is said that there are around 32,000 monasteries dotted all over the country,
and that Bangkok
is home to about 400. Aside from Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha),
Wat Pho, Wat Benchama Bophit, and Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) which charge a small
fee for on going restoration, admission to all other temples in Bangkok is free,
so put down your novel, dress appropriately, pack a little respect, and get out
there with your camera to experience some of the city’s most significant and beautiful
temples..
1.
Wat Phra Kaeo. - Temple
of the Emerald Buddha.
Officially named Wat Phra Si Rattanasatsadaram;
generally known to all as Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and located in the grounds
of the Grand Palace, was completed in 1784 during the reign of King Rama I. Regarded
as the most significant of all Thai temples and home to the most sacred of Buddha
images, the green jade statute of Buddha, the large compound of over 100 beautifully
architectured buildings represents 200 years of royal history.
2.
Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chetuphon.
The oldest and largest temple in Bangkok, Wat Po was first built in the 16th
century during the Ayutthaya
period and then almost completely rebuilt in 1781 by King
Rama I. It is famed for being home to the largest reclining
Buddha, has the largest collection of Buddha images in
Thailand,
and was the earliest centre for public education.
3.
Wat Arun – Temple
of Dawn.
Named after the India god of dawn, Aruna, Wat Arun
is perfectly located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River
to catch the morning light, and was chosen by King Tak
Sin to be his royal temple in the 17th century.
The Emerald Buddha was once housed here before being moved
to Wat Phra Kaeo.
4. Wat Saket. –
Golden Mountain.
The
“Golden Mountain”
or Phu Khao Thong in Thai on the west side of the temple grounds offers stunning
views over Rattanakosin
Island. Construction began in the reign
of King Rama III, was added to during the reign of King Rama IV, and finally King
Rama V added to the structure and housed a Buddha relic from India.
5.
Wat Ratchanatda.
Built under the reign of
King Rama III, this unusual 19th century temple’s architecture may
have seen influence from Burma. The Loha
Prasit (Metal Palace) surrounded by 37 metal spires and
a total height of 36 metres is the only one of its kind in the world. It is also
famed for its market which sells amulets or magic charms featuring images of Buddha,
monks and Indian deities.
6.
Wat Benchama Bophit. - Marble Temple
Made of white marble, hence the nickname,
this most recent royal temple was built at the turn of
the century by King Rama V. The main building is an excellent
example of modern Thai architecture.
7.
Wat Suthat.
This temple is home to a 14th
century Buddha statue from the Sukhothai period which is surrounded by some rather
surreal depictions of Buddha’s last 24 lives. King Rama II carved the great doors
and up until World War II, the Giant Swing Ceremony to celebrate the rice harvest
was held in front of the temple grounds.
8.
Wat Bowonniwet.
Founded in 1826, when it
was known as Wat Mai, this temple is home to Bangkok’s
second Buddhist
University, Maha-makut University.
King Mongkut began a royal tradition by residing here as a monk. His Majesty King
Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) and several other members of the royal family have
ordained here.
9.
Wat Maha That.
Home to Bangkok’s
other Buddhist University; Maha That Rat-chawitthayalai,
this temple was founded in 1700’s and has a Thai herbal medicine market and meditation
centre on the grounds.
10.
Wat Rachapradit.
This small temple was constructed
under the reign of King Rama IV for the purpose of becoming one of the required
3 eminent temples in the city. Noted for its abbey’s mural paintings, they depict
all the annual royal ceremonies undertaken, including the legend of the eclipse
of the sun during the reign of King Rama IV.
11.
Wat Thepthidaram.
Erected by King Rama III
between 1836 and 1839 this temple was exquisitely design by court artisans as
can be seen by the presiding Buddha image which is beautifully enshrined by mural
paintings. Once home to a famous Thai poet, Sunthon Phu, the monks living quarters
are now known as “ban kawi” or Poet’s House
Museum.
12.
Wat Kanlayanamit Woramahawihan.
Founded by
Chao Phraya Nikornbordin in 1825, the temple was added to by King Rama III when
he built the Phra Wihan Luang in which the principle Buddha image is enshrined.
Predominantly Chinese style brick work, stucco, tiles and motifs, the mural painting
depicting the Buddha’s life story is now almost completely faded.
13.
Wat Suwannaram Ratchaworawihan.
Founded during
the Ayutthaya period, not only has this temple been dismantled, rebuilt and restored
again and again between the reigns of King Rama I to King Rama V, it has also
seen a variety of uses such as a place of execution for Burmese prisoners of war
during the reign of King Taksin and later it became the site for royal cremations
up until the reign of King Rama V.
14.
Wat Trimitwitthayaram.
Built around 150 years ago and restored
in 1937, the main attraction of this temple is the five
ton, three metre tall Sukhothai style solid gold Buddha
image known as the Golden Buddha.
15.
Wat Ratchaorasarm.
Built on the bank of Sanamchai
Canal in the Ayutthaya period and later appointed a royal temple by King Rama
III, its distinguishable Chinese style make it historically important as it is
the first temple to have no traditional Thai decorations.
16.
Wat Rachapradit Sathitmahasimaram.
Built
by King Rama IV as one of the three required temples for royal ceremonies, this
temple was founded on what was originally a coffee plantation before the land
was purchased by the King and given to the Thammayut sect to build the temple.
17.
Wat Sommanatwihan.
In 1853, King Rama IV
built this Dhammayut sect royal temple as a memorial to Queen Sommanat Vadhannawadi.
Placed on the surrounding wall facing eight directions are stones indicating the
boundary of the chapel.
18.
Wat Indravihan.
The temple is famed for its
gigantic standing Buddha image. Built during the reign of King IV, the image of
the Buddha stands 32 metres tall, is just over 10 metres wide, and contains the
Lord Buddha’s relic brought from the island nation of Sri-Lanka.
19.
Wat Ratchabophit.
The first temple built
under his reign, King Rama V ordered its construction to commemorate the queen.
It later became the temple of King Rama VII. Although the exterior of
the main chapel is typically Thai, its interior is quite European in style.
20.
Wat Ratchatiwat.
The temple was re-established
from the former Wat Samor-rai by Somdej Chao Phraya Maha Surasinghanat and then
later renovated and renamed Ratchatiwatwihan; meaning temple where the King resides,
by King Rama IV. The large teak Ayutthaya
style building, redesigned by HRH Naris, is reputed as the biggest and most beautiful
wooden structure in the Far East.
21.
Wat Thepsirintharawat.
Ordered built by King
Rama V, the king dedicated this temple to his mother, the late Queen Thepsirindhra,
and named it in her memory. As one would expect, this chapel is one of the most
outstanding architectural treasures of the Rama V period and has many famous Buddha
images enshrined in it.
22.
Wat Rakhangkositaram.
Built in the Ayutthaya
period, this temple was later restored and named a royal temple by King Taksin.
During the reign of King Rama I a melodious “rakhang” or bell was found
in the temple compound. The King ordered it sent to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and had five new
bells sent back in exchange. The belfry, built in the style of the late Ayutthaya and early Rattanakosin
periods, is the symbol of this temple and its three tier roof is decorated with
beautiful murals by Phra Wanwadwichit, the famous artist of the King Rama VI era.
This former residence of King Rama I is one of the most outstanding examples of
Thai architecture.
23.
Wat Bhoman-Khunaram.
This Chinese-Tibetan
style temple was built in 1959 by a Chinese spiritual master who later became
the temples’ first abbot. The main Buddha image was named Phra Phutthawatcharaphothikhun
by King Rama IX and is enshrined in the chapel with 500 other Buddha images. The
pavilion houses 7,240 texts of the Mahayanist version of the Tripitaka.
24.
Wat Munkorn Kamalawat.
Built
in 1871 by Phra Ajarn Wangsamathiwat and Phra Chokikaratsetthi to disseminate
Buddhism, the temple, formerly named Wat Leng Nei Yee, was later renamed Wat
Munkorn Kamalawat by King Rama V. The temple is decorated in Chinese architecture
and the main Buddha image in the hall is also in a Chinese style. Images of the
world’s four keepers are found can be found in font of the hall’s shrine.
25.
Sri Mahamariamman
Temple
This
Brahman (Hindu) temple of the Shakti sect, which reveres this mother of the gods,
was built in 1879 by Indians from Tamil Nadu in Southern Indian who came to Thailand
and established a community of traders on Silom Canal.
Inside the temple the main image, the Umi Devi, is surrounded by Indian deities
Ganesh, Khandakumara, Krishna, Rasmi, and Kali.
Enjoy.
And
remember…
Keepitreal.
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trekkin'
"I
have lived and worked in Asia for 15 years. I've had the
pleasure to view and experience many wonderful sights
and meet and work with all manner of race and religions.
From Mumbai to Melbourne I've found no other country or
people that could persuade me to live
anywhere else than here in Thailand."
keepitrealbkk@yahoo.com
