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Wat Phra Kaew
or Wat Phra Si Rattanasatsadaram, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand (Also spelled Wat Phra Keo) วัดพระแก้ว หรือ วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม พระบรมมหาราชวัง พระนคร กรุงเทพฯ ประเทศไทย |
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The Temple or Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha, located in a separate
complex within the compound of the Grand Palace, is Thailand's holiest
shrine. Officially named Wat Phra Si Rattanasatsadaram, the temple complex
was modeled along the same lines as grand chapels from the Sukhothai and
Ayutthaya eras. No monks reside within the temple. Construction of this site
started in 1782, the year of the founding of Bangkok, as a shrine for the
Emerald Buddha, a 66-cm tall jadeite statue and Thailand's most sacred
Buddha image. The Emerald Buddha, thought to be Lanna (Chiang Mai region) in style, sits atop an ornate gilded altar inside the 'bot' or royal chapel. The image wears three different costumes depending on the season: a crown and jewelry in the hot season; a golden shawl in winter; and a gilt robe and headdress in the rains. Each change of costume is presided over by the reigning monarch. |
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Scenic Photography by Gerry Gantt from Thailand, the land of Golden Wats. All images Copyright © 1999 - by Gerry Gantt, all rights reserved. |
