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Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
This is the most famous place that is a must for all tourists. It is a large compound located near Sanam Luang in the very heart of Bangkok. The Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were built after King Rama I ascended the throne as the founder of the Chakri Dynasty on 6 April 1782 and have undergone several repairs and renovations.
The Grand Palace consists of several buildings with different styles of architecture. Wat Phra Kaeo is renowned as the most beautiful and important Buddhist temple in Thailand. It houses Phra Kaeo Morakot (the Emerald Buddha), the most highly revered Buddha image carved from a single block of fine jade.
Scattered in the temple grounds are numerous interesting sculptures of artistic value, including the fanciful animals in mythology, the fierce-looking giants standing guard at the gates, the six pairs of Cambodian-style bronze lions and the stone figures from China.
On the inside walls of the temple's compound, there are extensive mural paintings depicting scenes from the famous epic "Ramayana". It is the longest wall painting in the world as well as one of the Unseen Bangkoks. A distinctive characteristic of this temple is that there are no monks living in it like other temples.
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
Arun Amarin Road at its back, it can be reached by boat from Tha Chang Pier near Wat Phra Kaeo or Tha Tian Pier near Wat Pho. Constructed in the 17th century, it is attractive in its striking prangs (a kind of pagoda) which are decorated with millions of pieces of Chinese porcelain.
Its central prang, at a height of 82 metres (20-storey building) is the tallest prang of Thailand. Visitors can climb up to a high level to have a good view of the Chao Phraya River and the nearby surroundings. Anyway, the most beautiful view of it is from the east bank of the river at sunset.
Wat Benchamabophit (The Marble Temple)
Wat Benchamabophit is one of the most modern works of Thai religious architecture where the relics of King Rama V are enshrined. Graceful and tranquil, it is famous for its main chapel built in white Carara Italian marble to house a replica of Thailand's most beautiful Buddha image, Phra Phutthachinnarat.
Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon or Temple of Reclining Buddha)
Located next to the Grand Palace on the south side, this is the oldest and biggest temple with the largest number of pagodas (95 in all) in the city. Wat Pho is well known for its huge Reclining Buddha, 46 m long and 15 m high. Besides, it was the first open university of Thailand which used to offer courses in several branches of knowledge like literature, archaeology, astrology and medicine.
Nowadays Wat Pho is famous among foreign visitors for its Thai Traditional Massage School which offers three kinds of massage services namely, body massage, body massage with herbs and foot massage. The massage service opens daily from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. For learning courses, there are three courses, i.e. general Thai massage, therapeutic and healing massage and foot massage.
Wat Traimit (Temple of the Gold Buddha)
This temple is well known for its 3-metre tall, 5.5 tonne solid gold Buddha image, constructed over 700 years ago during the Sukhothai period. Originally the gold image was covered with plaster to conceal it from the invading Burmese and was just rediscovered accidentally about 40 years ago.
Wat Suthat
Wat Suthat is a good place to see the blend of Thai art and Chinese art, the style which flourished in the reign of King Rama III (1824 - 1851). The main features include a 14th century large cast bronze presiding Buddha, the beautiful murals in the main building, and splendid carving door leaves which are replicas of the masterpiece of King Rama II. In front of the temple is the famous Giant Swing , formerly used in an annual Brahman rite in honour of the Hindu God Shiva.
Wat Ratchabophit
Wat Suthat is a good place to see the blend of Thai art and Chinese art, the style which flourished in the reign of King Rama III (1824 - 1851). The main features include a 14th century large cast bronze presiding Buddha, the beautiful murals in the main building, and splendid carving door leaves which are replicas of the masterpiece of King Rama II. In front of the temple is the famous Giant Swing , formerly used in an annual Brahman rite in honour of the Hindu God Shiva.
Wat Ratchanatdaram
This royal temple was built in the reign of King Rama III in 1846. It is famous for its Loha Prasat (Metal Castle) standing to the west of the main temple. It is square in shape with 3 storeys and 37 spires, which symbolize 37 qualities contributing to enlightenment in Buddhism. Inside this chedi is enshrined an urn containing relics of the Buddha. Despite its name, there is no metal part in the whole structure except the lightning rods fixed to the pagoda tops. Presently, it is the only one of its kind left in the world. (The two formerly built in India and Sri Lanka were already in ruins.)
Wat Thepthidaram
Wat Thepthidaram was built between 1836 and 1839 by command of King Rama III. The exquisite designs in this temple constitute the four directional Stupas created by court artisans and the mural paintings on the walls of the main temple
The style of buildings, the decorative patterns with glazed tiles and the Chinese stone dolls all reflect the influence of Chinese architecture.
Wat Saket (The Golden Mount)
This old temple is well-known for its golden chedi atop the Golden Mount of a height of 77 metres. The artificial hill was created when a large chedi (pagoda) under construction by King Rama III collapsed because of the soft soil underneath. Later King Rama IV commanded the construction of a small chedi on its crest, in which a Buddha relic from India is housed.
Climbing up the stairs to the top of the mount, visitors can have a stunning panoramic view of Rattanakosin Island. Every year in November, a festival is held at Wat Saket which includes a candlelit procession up the Golden Mount.
Wat Rakhangkositaram
This old temple formerly named Wat Bangwayai was built in the Ayutthaya period. During the renovation in the reign of King Rama I, a sonorous rakhang or bell was found in the temple compound. The king ordered it to be moved to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and sent five new bells there in exchange, which are now hung on the belfry. The king then changed the temple's name to Wat Rakhangkositaram.
The belfry which is the symbol of the temple, was built in the four-gable style of the early Rattanakosin period. The scripture hall or ho trai consisting of three adjoining buildings has been declared one of the most outstanding examples of Thai architecture.
The ubosot or main chapel in the style of King Rama I 's reign features a three-tiered roof and the murals which were painted by Phra Wanwatwichit, a great artist of the King Rama VI reign.
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