Historical Sites - Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha, located next to the Grand Palace, is Bangkok's oldest and largest temple. Construction of the present temple started in 1781 on the site of a monastery dating back to the 16th century. Wat Pho is encircled by tall white walls and split into two compounds by Chetupon Road (the temple is also known as Wat Phra Chetupon). The temple grounds house some 400 Buddha images, a very large main chapel, a large 'viharn', which houses the reclining Buddha, four large chedis commemorating the first three kings of the Chakri Dynasty (Rama III has two chedis) and 91 smaller chedis.

The main feature of Wat Pho is a colossal 46-meter-long reclining Buddha, which depicts the Buddha passing into nirvana. The reclining Buddha is modeled from plaster and brick with a gilt covering. The soles of his feet are adorned with the 108 auspicious attributes of the Buddha in mother-of-pearl inlay.

Wat Pho is often considered the first center of public learning, "Thailand's First University", and also serves as the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of Thai massage and medicine. A massage here costs 180 baht for an hour or 100 baht for half an hour. Courses are also available for anyone wishing to study Thai massage.

Wat Pho is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm with a 10 baht admission fee. English, French, German and Japanese-speaking guides are available for hire.