Let's go to Wat Arun! The place you will never miss!
From Wat Po take about 100 metres to Tha Tien Pier.Take a cross-river ferry at Tha Tien Pier on Thai Wang Road. The ferry take off at about every 10 - 15 minutes. A Ticket is Baht 3.- per person per one way. The ferry operates from 06.00 - 22.00 hrs. daily.
ดูแผนที่ขนาดใหญ่ขึ้น
Location : Wat Arun Ratchawararam is located on the west side of Chao Phaya River No. 34, Arun Amarin Road, Kwang Wat Arun, Khet Bangkok Yai, Bangkok.
Tel.02-4663167, 02-4657740, 02-4623762
By Car : The nearest way is to cross Chao Phaya River by Pinklao Bridge and turn left on Arun Amarin Road. Go straight ahead, drive pass Sirirat Hospital, Navy Office, Wat Kruawan, and another Navy Office, Wat Arun is on your left hand-side.
By Bus : Buses to Wat Arun are no. 19, 57 and 83.
The History of Wat Arun
Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, is one of Bangkok's best know landmark. It stands on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Thon Buri. Wat Arun is best seen from the opposite bank of the river; it glistens in the sunlight during the day and stands dark and noble at dawn or dusk. A visit to the beautiful, peaceful monastery complex surrounding the familiar towers is very worth-while. These towers, the "Phra Prang," although best known, the only part of Wat Arun. It also contains narrow lanes; elegant, old white buildings; shrines, pools of turtles and two fine giants, " Yuk Wat Jaeng," mortal enemies of the " Yuk Wat Po" across the river.
The monastery has existed for many years since the days when Ayutthaya was capital of Thailand. It was then named Wat Mokok, situated in a place called Tumbol Bangmakok. The word Bangmakok, meaning " Village of Olive", has since been shortened to " Makok".
When King Taksin and his army reached this place to build his new capital Thonburi, after defeating the Burmese who had sacked Ayutthaya, he arrived at dawn. He renamed the monastery he found there Wat Jaeng- Jaeng meaning "clear" and "bright"
Construction of the tall prang and four smaller ones was started by King Rama II 1809-1824 and completed by King Rama III (1824-1851). The towers are supported by rows of demos and monkeys. Very steep and narrow steps lead to a balcony high on the central tower. The circumference of the base of the structure is 234 meters, and the central prang is 250 foot high.
The central balcony commands an impressive view of Bangkok across the river. From here one can see the Grand palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the spacious Wat Po.
The towers of Wat Arun are built of brick covered with stucco. The decorations are unique; thousands of pieces of multicolored Chinese porcelain. In niches in the central tower are green figures of the God Indra seated on Erawan, the traditional Thai three-headed elephant. Niches in the smaller towers contain figures of the Moon God, on a white horse. The trident of Shiva extends from the top of each tower.
Wat Arun figures in one of Thailand's most colorful festival, the Royal Tod Kathin. Then His Majesty the King travels down the river in a procession of Royal barges to present new robes to the monks after their three-month lent period.
Places in Wat Arun you should come visit.
Ordination Hall
The original hall built during the time of King Rama II was in the late Ayutthaya style. Later the structure became elongated, similar to the style of King Rama I, with redented pillars. They bear
elongated lotus capitals lacquered and gilt. The bases of the pillar are raised on platforms. The ordination hall was built of brick and mortar with roof of wooden beams and ceremic tiles. The gable board is gilded and decorated with glass mosaic. The walls between the windows bear murals of the ten previous lives of the Buddha. Above the windows on the northern side, the mural paintings are from the life of the Buddha. In the south is Vessantara Jataka. The originals were destroyed by fire in the reign of Rama V. He had them redone in relatively modern style. The face of the presiding Buddha image, cast in the reign of Rama II, is said to have been moulded by His Majesty himself. The ashes of King Rama II are buried in the base of the image. In front of the hall is a throne between the two doors. The throne is of very decoratively carved wood-work, gilded and decorated with glass mosaic. Before the ordination hall at the entrance stand two demon guadians; the white one called Sahassa Decha and the green one Thosakan ( or Ravana), both of which are of stucco decorated with shards of coloured ceramics. They are similar to the demons in the temple of the Emerald Buddha. Those of Wat Arun date from the time of King Rama III.
Phra Wihan Khot ( Gallery or Cloister)
This was built around the ordination hall during the time of King Ram II, of brick and mortar with roof of ceramic tiles. There are rows of Buddha images insides the gallery in the style of Subduing Mara which date from King Rama II's period. The portals on four sides are very pleasingly designed. Pillars are topped with gilded lotuses. Between the pillars and the body of the building there are stone images made by Chinese artists. They were brought from China as balast in trading junks. The royal artist, Prince Naris praised this gallery as the most perfect of its kind.
Phra Wihan
This is an original Thon Buri period hall, reconstructed in the time of Rama II. King Rama II ordered the decoration of the outer walls with ceramic tiles in falling floral pattern. There are two significant Bussha images inside this hall; the main
image cast in copper contains a relic of the Buddha in its breast; the smaller bronze placed in front of the first was brought from Vientiane in A.D. 1858.
Phar Prang
This is the most important monument in the temple. King Rama II considered that the original prang which was 16 meters in height should be reconstructed as the glory of the city, but he passed away shortly after the beginning the task. King Rama III completed the structure and crowned it with a multi-pronged bronze pinnacle. He died before the edifice could be dedicated.
This task was performed by Rama IV. It is 81 meters high and is surrounded by smaller prangs and mondops on each side and in between. The Phra Buddha Prang, as the great central tower is called, has three circumambulatory galleries running around it, which can be reached by climbing any one of the four very steep staircases. Above each staircase there is a niche with a figure of Indra on his three-headed elephant Erawan. The crown on the summit was origonally made to be given to the presiding Buddha image at Wat Nang Nong. When the nine pronged finial was to be raised, King Rama III ordered the crown to be placed above it. It was rumoured then that this action of his was a sign indication to the people the " Prince Mongkut" ( meaning " Crown") was to succeed him. Prince Mongkut did indeed become Rma IV. Four small prangs surround the main one in the centre. Statues of Phra Phai, the wind-god on his white horse are placed in each niche on these. Statues of giants and monkeys support the Mondop and the five Prangs as Caryatides. Kinnaras and Kinnaris are set in relief in niches all the way round of the first gallery.
On the ground around the prangs there are Chinese scultures both in the forms of human beings and animals. In the eartern wall there are three gates and two along the western wall. On the top of these
five gates the royal emblems of each king from King Rama I to King Rama V are to be seen. On the forth base of circumambulation are four replicas of the prang at each of the corners. e all decorated with pieces of broken porcelain of varieties of colours. Some are in Thai-style flame patterns while others are in the form of flowers. Bencharong ware is also used to decorate the surface of the prang. This type of decoration on the surface of architecture has been popular since the time of King Rama III.
The small Wihans
There are two of these both of which are in front of the prang and date from the Thon Buri period. The one in the north used to be the ordination hall and now contains the royal couch of the King of Thon Buri
made of one huge plank of teak. The Wihan in the south is older than the one in the north. At present a relic is enshrined here. On the door panels are gilt lacquer paintings depicting soldiers wearing hats and holding guns. These show workmanship of the time ofKing Rama V.
The Bell Tower
This stands behind the wihans. It is in Chinese style
The Mondop of the Buddha's Foot-Print
Rama III commanded this miniature of the foot-print of the Buddha to be placed in this mondop which is decorated with pieces of broken porcelain on all sides. The roof in the traditional style.
The Group of Monk' Cells
These buildings are in brick and mortar and are the work of King Rama III's craftsmen.
The Pavilion by the River
This stands in front of the ordination Hall. The arrangement of stones in the garden near the river is very beautiful. There are rows of stupas around this garden. There are also Chinese stone scultures in the forms of soldiers holding weapons, garudas and kinnaris. Beside these there are statues of Nai Rueng and Nai Nok in front of the Ordination Hall. These men burned themselves to death hoping to attain Nirvana. On the base there is an inscription relating the story of these two men.
Monkut Entrance
The entrance before the ordination Hall with tiered roof in the form of a crown flanked by a pair of demons, the white one named Sahassa Decha and the green one Thosakan ( Ravana). Thosakan, the green demon stucco decorated with glazed ceramic tile. One of the four small prangs at each corner of the main prang. Below left is Phra Wihan. The Mondop is in the centre and next to the right stands the Ordination Hall. The boundary stone. The two Small Wihan, the one in the norht used to be the ordination hall, the south one is the original wihan. Verandah of the Ordination Hall adorned with the coloured glazed tiles in floral and leaf design. The lotus capital are in glided lacquer. The plaza around the Hall decorated with stone figures of Chinese men and lions. Phra Phuttharup Narumit, the standing Buddha image dedicated to King Rama II, installed in the front porch of the Ordination Hall. The paintings on door panels illustrating ythical trees that bear the woman-like fruits. The presiding Buddha image cast in the reign of King Rama II
