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Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew, commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand.

The complex consists of a number of buildings within the precincts of the Grand Palace in the historical centre of Bangkok. It houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha, which is venerated as the country's palladium.

Wat Phra Kaew Plan.
Plan Legend:

  1. Ubosot and the Emerald Buddha
  2. Ratchakoramanuson Hall
  3. Phra Photithat Phiman
  4. Ratchaphongsanuson Hall
  5. Twelve Salas
  6. Chao Mae Kuan Im
  7. The Hermit
  8. Than Phaithi
  9. Royal Pantheon (Prasat Phra Thep Bidon)
  10. Phra Mondop
  11. Phra Si Rattana Chedi
  12. Two Golden Chedis (Phra Suvarnachedi)
  13. Monument to Rama I, II and III
  14. Monument to Rama IV
  15. Monument to Rama V
  16. Monument to Rama VI, VII, VIII and IX
  17. Four Decorated Chedis (Phra Chedi Songkhrueang)
  18. Model of Angkor Wat
  19. Mythological figures
  20. Southern porch
  21. Western porch
  22. Phra Sawet Kudakhan Wihan Yot
  23. Ho Phra Khanthararat
  24. Phra Mondop Yot Prang
  25. Bell Tower
  26. Ho Phra Nak
  27. Ho Phra Monthiantham
  28. Eight Phra Asda Maha Chedis
  29. Ramakien gallery
  30. Gate No. 1, Koeysadet (Front) Gate
  31. Gate No. 2, Na Wua Gate
  32. Gate No. 3, Phra Sri Ratanasasada Gate
  33. Gate No. 4, Hermit Gate
  34. Gate No. 5, Koeysadet (Rear) Gate
  35. Gate No. 6, Sanam Chai Gate
  36. Gate No. 7, Yiharnyod Gate
  1. Suryapop
  2. Intarachit
  3. Mangkonkan
  4. Wirunhok
  5. Thotsakhirithon
  6. Thotsakhiriwan
  7. Chakkrawat
  8. Atsakanmala
  9. Thotsakan
  10. Sahatsadecha
  11. Maiyarap
  12. Wirunchambang
  • Photograph by Sodacan, distributed under a CC-BY 3.0 license.

Approaching Wat Phra Kaew from the north.
To enter the complex we go down through Na Phra Lan Tunnel Gate 1.


Row of prang.
The row of eight prang (Plan No. 28) was built by Rama I and later covered in delicate coloured porcelain by Rama III.

  • Each has four doorways with figures of golden standing devas on each side, above them are a band of supporting yaksha or giants.
  • Each of the prang represents a different aspect of Buddhism.
  • The prang are arranged from north to south and are differentiated by their colours:
    1. The Phra Sammasamphuttha Mahachedi in white is dedicated to the Gautama Buddha.
    2. The Phra Satthampariyat Wara Mahachedi in blue is dedicated to the Dharma (Buddhist scriptures).
    3. The Phra Ariyasong Sawok Mahachedi in pink is dedicated to the Bhikkhus (male Buddhist monastics).
    4. The Phra Ariya Sawok Phiksunee Sangha Mahachedi in green is dedicated to the Bhikkhunīs (female Buddhist monastics).
    5. The Phra Patchek Phothisamphuttha Mahachedi in purple is dedicated to the Pratyekabuddha (those who have attained Enlightenment but did not preach).
    6. The Phra Borom Chakrawadiraja Mahachedi in pale blue is dedicated to the Chakravarti (the universal ruler).
    7. The Phra Photisat Krisda Mahachedi in red is dedicated to the Bodhisattvas (the Buddha is his past lives).
    8. The Phra Sri Ayametaya Mahachedi in yellow is dedicated to the Maitreya (the future Buddha).

Sculptural ensemble at the entrance to the enclosure.

Entering through Gate No. 2 (Na Wua Gate).
Gate No. 2 (Plan No. 31) is located in front of the east facade of the ordination hall (Ubosot) and the Emerald Buddha (Plan No. 1).

  • On the left side of the photo we can see the base of the seventh prang (red), and on the right side of the photo we can see the base of the sixth prang (pale blue).

Walking through the Ramakien gallery (Phra Rabiang).
The gallery or Phra Rabiang is a covered corridor, walled on one side, that surrounds the entire temple like a cloister.

  • Murals on the gallery walls depict the entire arc of the Ramakien epic, which is based on the Indian Ramayana.
  • This version was translated and recomposed in Thai poetic form under the supervision of Rama I himself around 1797.
  • The murals were commissioned by Rama I to tell his version of the epic. In fact, the main decorative theme throughout the temple is the Ramakien story.
  • The concept of righteous kingship within the epic has long been recognised within Southeast Asia and has been appropriated by many kings to equate their countries with the legendary city of Ayodhya and the titular hero Rama.

Golden chedi.
Two golden Phra Suvarnachedi (Plan No. 12) are situated to the east of the terrace, flanking the steps leading up to the Royal Pantheon (Plan No. 9).

  • They each have a marble octagonal base 8.5 metres (28 ft) wide and topped with a golden, square-based stupa with triple indented corners 16 metres (52 ft) in height.
  • The top spire is decorated in nine levels of layered lotus bud motifs. The structures are covered in copper sheets painted over with lacquer and gilded in gold leaf.
  • Around the base of the chedi, Rama V had figures of monkeys and yaksha ("giants") supporting the chedi. Each has four monkeys and sixteen giants around the sides. The colour and clothing of these figures identify them with a particular character in the Ramakien epic.

Ordination hall (left), Royal Pantheon (center) and Golden chedi (right).
The Royal Pantheon (Prasat Phra Thep Bidon) (Plan No. 9) was originally built to house the Emerald Buddha by Rama IV. The King died before its completion in 1882, and his plans to move the Emerald Buddha into it never materialised.

  • The present structure was completed during the reign of Rama VI in the early 20th century. The King decided to change the purpose of the building, and turned it into a memorial to his predecessors.
  • Normally closed to the public, the pantheon is opened annually on 6 April for Chakri Memorial Day, a national holiday in Thailand.

South entrance to the Royal Pantheon.
The Royal Pantheon (Plan No. 9) is laid out in a cruciform plan.

  • It has four entrances, one at the end of each arm, the main entrance being on the east side.

Gate No. 2 with Mangkonkan and Wirunhok.
Mangkonkan and Wirunhok are 2 of the 12 giants, set up in 6 pairs, that guard the entrances in the enclosure of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

  • Mangkonkan (Plan No. C) is a giant from the Ramakien. He has a green to greenish-blue complexion and wears a chadah-style crown, which is topped with the figure of a naga, similar to Wirunhok.
  • Wirunhok (Plan No. D) is a giant from the Ramakien. He is the ruler of the underground city of Maha Anthakaan and likes to adorns himself with jewelry in the form of nagas. He also wears a chadah-style crown, which is topped with the figure of a naga.

Ho Phra Khanthararat and Phra Mondop Yot Prang.
Gate No. 2 (left), Mangkonkan and Wirunhok giants (center), Ho Phra Khanthararat and Phra Mondop Yot Prang (right).

  • The Ho Phra Khanthararat shares its base with the Phra Mondop Yot Prang.
  • Ho Phra Khanthararat (Plan No. 23) is a Buddha shrine, the small structure was built to house the Phra Khanthararat image. The Buddha image is associated with the Royal Ploughing Ceremony. The Ho Phra Khanthararat is decorated on the exterior with green, blue and yellow tiles.
  • Phra Mondop Yot Prang (Plan No. 24) sits on a taller platform behind the Ho Phra Khanthararat. The octagonal base is topped with a mondop pavilion and spire.

East facade of the ordination hall (Ubosot).
East facade of the ordination hall (Plan No. 1) seen from the northeast.

  • The Phra Ubosot, or ordination hall, occupies almost the entire southern part of the temple complex.
  • The Ubosot is surrounded by a low wall; this separation emphasises the building's sacred nature.
  • Construction of the Ubosot began during the reign of Rama I in 1783; as such, the building is one of the oldest structures within the temple.
  • The Ubosot was built to house the Buddha image known as the Emerald Buddha, which the King had captured from Vientiane, Laos, in 1779.

North side of the ordination hall.
The Ubosot (Plan No. 1) is rectangular and single-storeyed, with the main entrance on the eastern end.

  • The hall is surrounded by columns supporting a massive roof.

Bronze lions.
On the outside, flanking the steps leading to the doors of the Ubosot, stand twelve bronze lions.

  • Some of these are copies which were probably cast by Rama III. They were based on a pair of original lions taken from Cambodia by Rama I.

Entering the ordination hall (Ubosot).
The Ubosot (Plan No. 1) is surrounded by forty-eight square columns, each with twelve indented corners. Each column is decorated with glass mosaic and gilded gold edges; the capitals depict lotus petals covered in coloured glass mosaic.

  • On the eastern and western ends of the hall, an extended porch projects outwards with additional columns.

The Emerald Buddha inside the ordination hall.
The Emerald Buddha, or Phra Kaeo Morakot, is considered the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand.

  • The sacred image is of the meditating Gautama Buddha seated in the lotus position, made of a semi-precious green stone (usually described as jade), clothed in gold, and about 66 centimetres (26 in) tall.
  • See more at Emerald Buddha - Wikipedia.

Sprinkling holy water with a Lotus Blossom.
The idea of "blessed water" is used in virtually all Buddhist traditions.

  • In the Theravada tradition, water is put into a new pot and kept near a Paritrana ceremony, a blessing for protection.
  • This "lustral water" can be created in a ceremony in which the burning and extinction of a candle above the water represents the elements of earth, fire, and air.
  • This water is later given to the people to be kept in their home. Not only water but also oil and strings are blessed in this ceremony.
  • See more at Holy water: Buddhism - Wikipedia.

Bell tower (Ho Rakhang)
The Bell Tower (Plan No. 25), or Ho Rakhang, is located to the south of the complex.

  • The first tower was built by Rama I to house a single bell.
  • Rama IV ordered it to be completely rebuilt. This reconstruction was completed just in time for the centenary of Bangkok in 1882.
  • The tower has an octagonal base, with four doors and protruding porticoes on each side.
  • The bell is hung underneath a mondop-style spire.
  • The entire structure is covered in coloured porcelain in floral and geometrical designs.
  • The bell is only rung at the investiture of the supreme patriarch.

South side of the ordination hall.

West side of the ordination hall.
The white building in the center of the photo is the Ratchaphongsanuson hall (Plan No. 4).

  • The Ratchaphongsanuson hall holds thirty-four Buddha images representing the former kings of the Ayutthaya and Thonburi kingdoms.
  • The murals inside accordingly depict the history of the foundation of Ayutthaya.

West pediment of the ordination hall.
The pediments at either end of the roof depict the Hindu god Narayana (or Vishnu) mounted on the back of a Garuda (a mythical half-man, half-bird), with the latter holding in both hands the tails of two Naga serpents.

  • The figure of the god is a traditional symbol of kingship and has been adopted by Thai kings as their symbol since ancient times.
  • The vahana (or vehicle) of the god is the mythical Garuda.
  • A creature of great strength and loyalty, the Garuda has been adopted as the national emblem of Thailand.
  • See more at Garuda: Thailand - Wikipedia.

Leaving the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha seen from the north.

  • From left to right we can see the tops of the Row of prang (Plan No. 28), the Ho Phra Monthiantham (Plan No. 27), the Phra Sawet Kudakhan Wihan Yot (Plan No. 22) and the Ho Phra Nak (Plan No. 26).

See also

Source

Location

Location: QF2V+M34, Na Phra Lan Rd, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand