Bangkok Temples
Being the capital of a very Buddhist country means that Bangkok is full of temples: from the small local places of worship which can be found in every district to the extravagant splendour of some of South East Asia’s finest temples such as the famous Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Arun.
Religion is very important to many Thai people, and small miniature versions of temples called spirit houses are to be found in most office complexes, shopping centres, hotels and in many homes, draped in jasmine flowers and surrounded by offerings for Buddha. So it’s true to say that in Bangkok you’re never far from a temple of some kind, even if it’s the small shrine set up on the dashboard of your airport taxi!
In every village, and every suburb of Bangkok there will be at least one temple which forms the focus of religious and often community activities. Each temple is an exquisite work of art and although the styles vary according to the architectural era (spanning almost a full millennium), they mostly conform to a common style consisting of multi-layered steeply concaved roofs with symbolic winged edges finished with gold filigree and ornate markings. Many Bangkok temples have colourful murals adorning the interior and the focus of each is an altar-like shrine of Buddhas to symbolise the founder of this faith. They are not used for ‘services’ as a church would be but rather for regular private prayer visits, meditation and occasional ceremonies. All are welcome in temples provided you show respect.
Remember, when visiting temples that the utmost respect is required – usually you will be expected to wear trousers or at least knee length shorts or skirt; t-shirts with elbow length sleeves are also expected and sometimes proper shoes, i.e. not flip-flops, will be required. If you’re planning on doing some temple visiting and you’re unsure as to the correct dress code, just err on the side of conservative dress and no-one will be offended. Some temples have other restrictions too, for example no photography – rules such as these should be clearly indicated but if you’re unsure just ask someone.
Some of the more impressive temples we’d recommend visiting are listed below:
Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace: one of Bangkok’s major tourist attractions, no trip to Bangkok is complete without a visit to this magnificent temple compound. It’s worth setting aside a good few hours to take in all the temples and shrines in this complex, especially the mystical Emerald Buddha. This temple has the strictest dress code, although acceptable clothes can be borrowed inside – watch out for touts trying to tell you otherwise. Also no pictures or movies are allowed to be taken of the Emerald Buddha. Any taxi driver can take you here, or you can get a river taxi to Tha Chang pier. For more info see our Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace section. Na Phralan Road, Phra Borommaharatchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Tel: 02 222 8181 # 3801, 3890, 222 2208, 623 5500 # 3100, Open: Daily 08.30a.m.-3.30p.m., Admission Fee: Foreigner 200 Baht for both the palace and the temple, Thais Free, Guide: 10a.m.-2 p.m. Admission Fee: 100 Baht/2 hours.
Wat Po: just around the corner from the Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace is the equally impressive Wat Po. Dozens of ornately decorated spires have been constructed in between the many stunning temple buildings meaning that you have a photo opportunity everywhere you look. One of the principal attractions of Wat Po is the extraordinary 46 metre long reclining Buddha – the biggest in Thailand. 2 Sanamchai Road, Phra Borommaharatchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Tel: 02 222 5910, 226 2942, 226 1743, 225 9595, Fax: 02 225 9779, Open: Temple Daily 8a.m.-5p.m. / Ubosot Daily 8a.m.-5p.m., Admission Fee: Foreigner 20 Baht
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn): This riverside temple is one of Bangkok’s key tourist attractions and one of its most famous sights – the towering 82 metre spire in the centre of the temple is depicted on the reverse of the 10 Baht coin and in many travel brochures. This temple is often included as a stopover on canal tours but it’s worth making an effort to see even if you don’t embark on such a trip – to get there cross the river at Tha Tien pier – you can’t miss the temple from there. At sunset it presents a fantastic picture silhouetted against the setting sun with the river in the foreground. 34 Arun Amarin Road, Wat Arun, Bangkokyai, Bangkok 10600, Tel & Fax: 02 891 1149, Open: Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun 8:30a.m.-5:30p.m., Close: Wed & Public Holidays, Admission Fee: 10 Baht.
Wat Traimit: The key attraction here is the huge solid gold seated Buddha. It’s well worth a visit for this alone, although the temple itself is also noteworthy. Located near Hua Lamphong train station on the corner of Yaowarat Road and Charoen Krung Road.
Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple): This interesting white marble temple contains the ashes of King Rama V, and features 53 Buddha images representing all styles of Buddha iconography from all over the Buddhist world. Located on the corner of Si Ayutthaya Road and Phraram V Road. 69 Nakornpathom Rd., Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Tel: 0 2281 4012, 282 3349, webmaster@watbencha.com, watbencha@hotmail.com
Wat Intharawihan: The most impressive temple in Banglamphoo (district where Khao San Road is), this temple has on site a 32 metre high standing Buddha. Bang Khun Phrom, Phra Nakorn, Tel: 02 281 7810
Wat Saket: is located conveniently close to the Khao San Road area and is most notable for the towering Golden Mount beside it. This would have been the tallest structure in ancient Bangkok in the 19th century and the current structure sits on an artificial mound that resulted from a collapsed attempt to build a chedi here. It’s not difficult to reach the top and the views of the city are rewarding.
Ancient City: A bit of a drive out of town, this tourist attraction is a scaled down version of Thailand and features replicas of many of the major temples throughout the country. These replicas are still big enough to be considered temples in their own right though, meaning that this is one of the biggest collections of temples to be found in Thailand. For more information, check out our special Ancient City section. 296/1 Sukhumvit Road, Bangpoo, Samut Prakan 10280, Fax: 02 323 9253, muangboran@ancientcity.com, Open: Daily 09.00 to 18.00, Admission Fee: Foreign Adults 300 Baht, Children 150 Baht, Thai Adults 150 Baht, Children 75 Baht
There are many more temples scattered about the city and first time visitors to Thailand will find almost all of them intriguing for their astonishing beauty and unusual geometries. Each offers a peaceful oasis in an otherwise manic and noisy city. Crossing over the river into the Ton Buri area also reveals several of these.
Updated and correct: November 2008
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