6 Must-See Temples in Thailand

With 95% of its citizens being Buddhist, Thailand is known as the land of a thousand Buddhas, with different styles and cultural connotations. Therefore, visiting a temple has become a great way to experience the Buddhist culture of Thailand. Remember to check your attire before your visit, there are dress codes that must be adhered to, including the prohibition of shoes and knee and shoulder-bearing clothing. While the check is done, let's start the temple tour. Here are six temples in various architectural styles that will satisfy you.

Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn)

Wat Arun, also known as the Temple of Dawn, is a huge royal temple with a total height of 79 meters.

The Temple of Dawn has a long history and has stood the test of time. Located in Bangkok, it was built in memory of King Taksin the Great, the 41st-generation monarch of Thailand. It is said that Taksin passed this temple at dawn during the war, so he rebuilt the ancient temple and named it the Temple of Dawn.

The Temple of Dawn has a unique architectural style, with a particularly tall Mahayana Pagoda in the middle enshrining the remains of Buddha, which is inscribed on the back of the Thai 10-baht coin. There are also many statues of animals and people in the tower's vicinity, which constitute a harmonious atmosphere. There are four short pagodas distributed around the temple. No matter from which side, the layout is the same, full of symmetrical beauty. The whole tower with white as the background color is inlaid with ceramic shards and shells. The spire is covered with glazed tile pieces, which shine dazzling light in the sun, giving people a feeling of white and gold interweaving. Therefore, the temple is regarded as one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand.

The Temple of Dawn has a unique beauty at dawn and dusk. The highest spire welcomes the sun in the morning, quiet and dazzling. At sunset, the temple is bathed in yellow light as the sun is about to set, which is sacred and spectacular.

Location: 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok 10600
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Wat Arun

Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram (The Marble Temple)

Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram(also named Marble Temple) is an exotic temple that is featured on the Thai 5-baht coin. Dating back more than 100 years, thousands of marbles were imported to build this whole marvel, so it is also called the Marble Temple.

The Marble Temple has its own unique charm. It has a Western-style and also uses Chinese glaze as the top. Because of the white walls and golden roof, people feel the whole temple is very delicate and sacred. There are also many sculptures in this temple, which are beautiful with excellent design, and the overall style is coordinated together. The surrounding gallery of Buddha statues is also one of the temple's features, displaying many Thai Buddha statues from different periods, a total of 50.

In addition to the main building, the temple is surrounded by streams, bridges, and many other green plants, making the whole temple peaceful and serene.

Location: 69 Rama V Rd, Dusit, Dusit District, Bangkok 10300
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Wat Phra Kaew (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha)

Wat Phra Kaew is a royal temple built in 1782, located within the Grand Palace and occupying a quarter of its area. It is known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha after the Emerald Buddha enshrined in the temple, which became a very sacred place in the heart of the Thai people.

Although the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is a Thai royal place for the worship of the Emerald Buddha and religious ceremonies, is now also used to receive foreign guests, where you can see buildings, statues, pagodas, and murals of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha are full of the cultural connotation of Buddhism.

The architecture of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is a collection of Thai architectural styles full of artistic features. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, as a whole, is glittering, giving a very noble and spectacular feeling, which contains the Golden Stupa, the Depositary of Buddhist Texts, Prasat Phra Debidorn, the Emerald Buddha Temple Gallery, the Grand Buddha Hall, especially the Hall houses the Emerald Buddha, one of Thailand's national treasures.

The Emerald Buddha is carved from a single piece of emerald. It is 66 centimeters high and 48 centimeters wide. The Emerald Buddha is surrounded by the golden Buddha, and the surrounding Buddhist murals highlight the demeanor of the royal family. Because the Emerald Buddha Temple is inside the Grand Palace, you can visit the entire Grand Palace, including the Emerald Buddha Temple with one ticket.

Location: Na Phra Lan Rd, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Wat Phra Kaew

Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple)

Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple because of its pure white effect, is a modern temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Construction began in 1998 and still more buildings are being added to make this work perfect and complete. So every time you visit the White Temple, it will be a different and fresh feeling.

The temple's architectural background is white and inlaid with silver mirrors, which show different effects under different light. The White Temple shines with pure and holy light under the sun, symbolizing the holiness of Buddhism and the light of Buddhist truth shining over time.

The design of the White Temple is mainly inspired by Buddhism, which contains heaven, hell, and the Buddha's guardian holding a lotus flower. After entering the temple, one must first cross a bridge called the Bridge of Resignation, where under the bridge is the amazing Hell Pool with countless hands in the pool grasping upward as if struggling to survive.

In the Buddhist view, once you cross the Bridge of Desperation, there is no way back. You can only go to heaven and wash your soul by overcoming all kinds of desires. Otherwise, countless hands will drag you into the pool of hell. After walking through the bridge, you will see Heaven's Gate, which means you have officially arrived at the Heaven-White Temple.

Inside the temple, there are also wishing wells and wishing pools where you can make wishes.

Note: No photos should be taken inside the temple, and no indecent gestures should be taken outside.

Location: Pa O Don Chai, Mueang Chiang Rai District, Chiang Rai 57000
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Wat Rong Khun

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Wat Sri Chum (The Temple of the Bodhi Tree)

Wat Sri Chum is located in Sukhothai and has more than 700 years of history, houses the only open-eye Buddha in Sukhothai and the giant sitting Buddha statue in Thailand.

As you enter the temple and pass through the stone columns on either side and the narrow gaps in the stone walls, you can see a giant seated Buddha, which is called Phra Atchana about 15 meters high. It is fantastic to see such a towering Buddha statue in the narrow gap. The figure is carefully carved, full of Buddha's compassion, and the right hand is affixed with gold leaf, reflecting the piety of Buddhist believers.

Wat Sri Chum is the inheritor of Buddhist culture and the witness of historical evolution. The ceiling of the corridor of Wat Sri Chum is painted with the Buddhist story of reincarnation. Over the past 700 years, history has evolved, but the temple still exists and has stood the test of time.

Location: Mueang Kao, Mueang Sukhothai District, Sukhothai 64210
Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Traditional triangular minaret or the unique cylindrical shape, classic combination of golden and red or modern attempt in color and material, the temples in Thailand is such an abundance, and the above six are only a small part of them in Thailand. If you are interested in these fantastic temples, why not start a Thailand tour right now? Just contact Odynovo to start your wonderful Thailand temple collection.