Wat Phra Kaew

Bangkok, Thailand 1783-84

Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, was constructed by King Rama I, the founder of the Chakri dynasty. It’s located within the complex of the Grand Palace, the official residence of the kings of Thailand (previously Siam) since 1782, which was built when King Rama named Bangkok as Siam’s new capital.

Since the Sukhothai period around eight centuries ago, it has been a tradition to construct a Buddhist temple within the grounds of a royal palace. The temple was modelled after Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the former temple at the old Royal Palace in Ayutthaya, which was destroyed in 1767. It is the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand – a country that has over 40,000 of them – although it is the only one not to have any living quarters for monks.

The site is renowned for being the home of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand, which was likely created in the 15th century. In the 16th century, the Emerald Buddha was taken to the city of Vientiane (in modern-day Laos) by the king of Lan Xang, Setthathirat I. In 1779, it was eventually brought back to Siam by

King Rama, while he was still a general, and enshrined at the temple in 1784.

Numerous royal and state ceremonies are held at the temple every year, with the site serving as a symbol that connects Thailand’s monarchy to Thai Buddhism. There are many sacred buildings within the temple complex, showcasing different architectural styles, that have been restored and renovated several times over the last two centuries by different monarchs. The temple is also famous for its centuries-old mural painting of the Ramakien, one of Thailand’s national epics, which features on the cloister wall around the complex.

PHRA ASADHA MAHA CHEDI The temple has a row of eight prangs, tower-like structures, which were adapted from Khmer temples. These ones were built during the reign of King Rama I and each was subsequently decorated in a different coloured porcelain by King Rama III to show that each prang represents a different Buddhist concept. PHRA UBOSOT HOR PHRA GANDHARARAT The Hor Phra Gandhararat, also known as the chapel of the Grand Buddha, was built by King Rama IV. A Buddha shrine, it was built to house the Grand Buddha image that is believed to have the power to invoke rain and is therefore worshipped for agricultural purposes. The shrine is mainly decorated with blue, yellow and green tiles. The Phra Ubosot – the chapel of the Emerald Buddha – is the most important building of the temple complex as well as one of the oldest. It was built in the Ayutthaya architectural style and is used as an ordination place for Buddhist monks. The outside of the building is decorated with gilt and coloured glass mosaics. THE EMERALD BUDDHA One of Thailand’s most sacred objects and believed to bring prosperity to the nation, it’s thought that the Emerald Buddha is made out a semi-precious green stone, such as jade or jasper. The Emerald Buddha wears clothing made of pure gold and his outfit is changed three times a year, in accordance with the seasons. This is done by the king, the only person allowed to touch the Emerald Buddha.