Wat Pho - Temple of the Reclining Buddha in Bangkok

Wat Pho or with it's full name Wat Phrachetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Raja Wora Mahavihara is Bangkok's largest temple. A giant reclining Buddha, 45 meters long represents the moment in which Buddha enters Nirvana. The size of this Buddha can only be experienced by walking around it. The feet of the statue feature 108 small images of representing Buddhist impressions. It is the enormous head of the Buddha which I like most.

Wat Pho is also famous as Thailand's first university, and is center for traditional Thai masage - the rich, famous and powerful have all been known to come here. Inscribed on stone in the walls of Wat Pho are all that was known about Thai massage dating from the reign of King Rama III (most previous texts were lost when the Burmese destroyed Ayuthaya)

Wat Pho is an important Bangkok's landmark in the Rattanakosin Area. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful Buddhist fine arts and the existing Thai intellect which has descended from ancient times, taken as an immortal carrier's of knowledge. The monastery is opened daily from 08:00 to 17:00, with the admission fee of 20 baht.

Important Wat of Thailand

Thailand has many Wat, a temple in the Thai language. Wat is much more than just a place of worship. Thai temple is much more than just a monastery. It influences life, culture and education and the Wat is very much a community center.

Temples in Bangkok and Thonburi - Temples are not typically the first thing which comes to mind when talking about a trip to Bangkok. Within this huge city there are over 430 temples though, which are very worthwhile to be visited. Wat Phra Kaew, the Royal Temple within the Palace, is the most important and most impressive one. It is also the one with the most tourists and, at least outside the temple, also the one with the most dubious characters who want to sell you things and who want to drive you onto a never-return shopping trip.

Temples in Central Thailand - Central Thailand is a huge area, which is often ignored by travelers. One of the reasons might be that it is not covered in many of the guide books, except for the major sights, of course. This might be a blessing on one side because the area has not changed too much by tourism or the (negative) influence of the west.

Temples in Northern Thailand - Thailand's North was our first trip with our own car. Thus independent from any public transportation and therefore without much interference with other tourists. Equipped with a huge variety of maps in Thai and English as well as information from the web we went mainly on small roads and highways and stopped at every place, which looked interesting.

Temples in Southern Thailand - There are more than 100 Buddhist temples in the Deep South but only a few monks, as many quit the monk hood due to fears for their safety. Militants now target their attacks on Buddhist monks and temples to deepen the religious divide in the region.

Temples in North Eastern Thailand - Isan is a special place. Something we never understood, as we consider temples as a place for Buddhists to gather and pray. Instead the Buddha images were locked away behind closed doors.

[Source from; chimburi.com]

Transportation to Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok

Temple of the Emerald Buddha have other name is called Wat Phrasrirattana Sasadaram (Wat Phra Kaew). Wat Phra Keaw have a comfortable transportation.

By Bus - 1, 3, 6, 9, 15, 19, 25, 30, 32, 33, 39, 43, 44, 47, 53, 59, 60, 64, 65, 70, 80, 82, 91, 123, 201, 203
By Air-Bus - 1, 6, 7, 8, 12, 25, 38, 39, 44, 59, 524
By Water - Tha Chang

Open everyday; 8.30 AM - 11.30 AM and 01.00 PM - 03.30 PM

Guardian Statue at the Emerald Buddha Temple in Bangkok

Giant Guardian of Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok is stucco about height 6 metre. Which compose of many painted pottery, it’s so beautiful.

The Guardian stand is over plinth with stay at south ascent of Phra-Tep-Bi-dorn Palace. Wat Phra Kaew has 12 giant Guardians. Guardian of the Emerald Buddha Temple created King’s Rama III and creator by Luang Tep Rod Ja Na. Guardian of Wat Phra Kaew has featured same Guardian of Wat Arun.

Welcome to The Emerald Buddha Temple in Bangkok, Thailand

Ubosot of the Emerald Buddha in Wat Phra Kaew

The ubosot (ordination hall) housing the Emerald Buddha is actually the only original building in the Wat Phra Kaew. It was built at the same time as the temple in 1783 to 1785. Like most of the buildings in the compound, the ubosot's exterior is finished in colored mirror tiles and gilt carving. The eaves are lined with bronze bells which tinkle is the slightest breeze.

Entry to the chapel is on the east side. The doors are inlaid with mother-of-pearl designs from the Ramakian, the same epic which illustrates the gallery. Inside, the Emerald Buddha sits high up on a gilt alter. The image, which was carved from a solid piece of green jadite, not emerald, is 66 centimeters (26 inches) tall and about 48 centimeters (19 inches) across at the lap. The image has three golden 'costumes' which are changed with the seasons by His Majesty the King or one of his children.

On either side of the high alter are screens which create a private area for the royal family when visiting the temple in Bangkok. In front of the Emerald Buddha are several other Buddha images placed there by the kings of the dynasty. The two lowest images were placed there by the present king. One in 1987 on his sixtieth birthday, and the other in 1988 when he became the longest reigning Thai monarch.

Note; that you must remove your shoes to enter the ubosot of the Emerald Buddha, and no photography is allowed inside the chapel.

[Source from; thailandforvisitors.com]

Mural Painting inside Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Thaland

Mural painting inside the ubosoth in Wat Phra Kaew. The scene of the Buddhist cosmology (the Three `Worlds of Desire, Form and Non-Form) on the western wall behind the Emerald Buddha and that of the Enlightenment of the Buddha on the eastern, or front wall, were painted in the reign of' King Rama 1. At that time there probably was portrayed on the tipper part of the lateral walls the assembly of celestial beings who came to worship the main Buddha image in the ubosoth, a feature typical of the late Ayudhya and early Bangkok painting styles.

The walls between the window's were decorated with scenes from the Life of the Buddha. King Rama ll. had the lateral walls repainted. Above the window's on both the north and the south were depicted scenes from the Life of the Buddha whereas between the windows various scenes from the jataka (previous lives of the Buddha) were shown. On the depicted and the southern side shows a riverine procession. These paintings still exist inside Wat Phra Kaew,Bangkok.

The mural painting inside were newly painted as mentioned above except for the scenes of the Buddhist cosmology and the Enlightenment of the Buddha, respectively, on the western and eastern walls. The golden throne of the Emerald Buddha in Thailand was heightened, as noted previously, by an intermediary base. The king had the superstructure of the galleries around the temple changed and the whole story of the Ramakien (the Thai version of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana) repainted.

The White Viharn of King Rama I was demolished, and the Viharn Yod, with its superstructure in the form of a Thai crown ornamented with multi-colored pieces of glazed terra-cotta, was built in its place. In Wat Phra Kaew;The mother-of-pearl inlaid door of this structure dates back to 1753 in the reign of King Boromkot of the late Ayudhya period.

[Source from; cs.ait.ac.th]