Thai Travel – Wat Arun Temple Review

The Wat Arun, Temple of the Dawn, with a height of 80 meters is not only one of the greatest religious monuments in Thailand, but also the most famous landmark in Bangkok’s Thonburi district.

When King Taksin established after the destruction of Ayuthaya, the new provisional capital in Thonburi, was already at this point an old temple called Wat Chaeng. (According to another version, he was called Wat Makok.) At that time this had been repair Wat. The king made the decision to enlarge it. The reconstruction lasted because of the soft soil near the river so many years that King Taksin himself could not complete the experience. So Wat Arun was first under the reign of Rama III, completed in 1824-1851).
The architectural achievements of that time were masterful. To strengthen the foundation on the spongy ground enough, not only long teak logs were driven into the ground, but they laid the wood lattice-shaped, and filled all over each other with rocks and clay. This mixture was then mashed together to cementitious strength. This gave the Wat Arun a stable foundation.

The central tower (Prang) is completely covered with colorful pieces of Chinese porcelain cemented.

Wat Arun Buddhist symbol of the universe: the big prang represents Mount Meru, the rest of the world that surrounds him four smaller prangs embody the four oceans. On the lower terrace of the main prang, there are four pavilions that the four highlights from the life of Buddha sensualize: birth, enlightenment and death.

One also finds here the Hindu god Indra on the three-headed elephant Erawan, as well as a lunar deity on a white horse.

The Temple of Dawn is located on the west bank of the Chao Phaya. It can be reached either by Arun Amarin Road or the one with so-called water-taxi from Tha Tien (Tien Pier) at Wat Pho, or any other jetty. Once there, you have to pay the small entrance fee of 20 baht. On four steep stairs, some without railings, you can climb up to the temple about half the height, and has a wonderful view over the temple grounds, the Chao Phaya and the city.

Many things are worth seeing: the great variety of porcelain pieces, many strange characters from former Chinese merchant vessels, delicate bird girl (Kinnaris), laughing, Chinese guards figures, monkeys, Garuda bird man and the typical Thevadas that bear head and arms of the giant towers.

Inside the Bot can make beautiful wall paintings can be visited. A remarkable destination for any visitor to Bangkok.