Wat Phra Kaew

The temple of the Emerald Buddha

Name

Wat Phra Kaew

Date

Late 18^th century

Location

On the grounds of the Grand Palace
Rattanakosin, Bangkok

BANGKOK’S BEST TEMPLES

The Wat Phra Kaew, also known as “the temple of the Emerald Buddha” located within the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok is Thailand’s most sacred temple and an important pilgrimage site for Thai Buddhists.

Most highly revered Buddha image

The temple enshrines Thailand’s most highly revered Buddha image, the Emerald Buddha. The image is housed in the ubosot (ordination hall), a very ornate building constructed during the second half of the 18^th century after King Rama I had established Bangkok as the new capital of Siam. The walls of the Rattanakosin style building are adorned with murals.

A copy of the Emerald Buddha is enshrined in the Wat Phra Kaew in Chiang Rai, where the image resurfaced in the 15^th century.

Ramakien murals

The walls that surround the temple are adorned with colorful murals on 178 panels. Each one depicts one scene from the Ramakien, the Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana.

Colorful murals in the Grand Palace depicting the Ramakien story

A battle scene from the Ramakien epic depicted in a mural

Ramakien murals

Colorful murals on the walls surrounding the Emerald Buddha temple
Over 2 kilometers of murals
Depicting the Ramakien epic

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The Emerald Buddha image

The Emerald Buddha image or “Phra Kaew Morakot” wearing an attire of gold and precious jewels is seated on a very ornate raised alter in the ubosot. The 66 centimeter tall image in meditation mudra is carved from a single piece of dark green jade.

Three times per year, at the start of the summer, rainy and cool season the King changes the attire of the Emerald Buddha during an impressive ceremony.

The Wat Phra Kaew on the grounds of the Grand Palace

Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace

History of the Emerald Buddha

It is not known with certainty when the Emerald Buddha was carved and from where it originates. Several legends tell different stories about the image’s history.

Carved in India, the image ends up in Angkor

One legend says that the image was created around 50 BC in India, some 500 years after the Buddha passed away.

According to the legend several centuries later a Burmese King who wanted to spread Buddhism in his country requested an Indian King to be given copies of the Tripitaka (the Buddhist teachings) and the Emerald Buddha image.

The King granted his request and send a ship carrying the image. A violent storm caused the ship to loose its way and the image ended up in Angkor, the capital of the Khmer empire.

The Emerald Buddha returns to Siam

Centuries later when the Thais invaded Angkor in 1431, they captured the image and brought it back to Siam. After having been enshrined in several temples across Siam, the image ended up in Chiang Rai.

Rediscovery of the image

A local ruler had the image covered with stucco to hide its value and hit it in a chedi of the Wat Phra Kaew, then called Wat Ya Pier. When lightning struck damaging the chedi in 1434 the Emerald Buddha was rediscovered. Some of the stucco came off revealing the image.

After hearing of the discovery, Sam Fang Kaen, King of Lanna ordered the image to be taken to his capital Chiang Mai. The image was placed inside a shrine on the back of an elephant.

An elephant takes the image to Lampang

The elephant however had a mind of his own and brought the image to Lampang instead on three different occasions. The King regarded this as a divine sign and decided to leave the image in Lampang, where it was enshrined in the Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao, which was build to house the image.

In 1468 the image was finally brought to Chiang Mai, where it was enshrined in the Wat Chedi Luang.

Taksin takes the image back to Thonburi

Halfway the 16^th century the image was in the Haw Phra Kaew temple in Vientiane, Laos. In 1778 Taksin the Great conquered Vientiane and moved the image to Thonburi.

The Emerald Buddha enshrined in Wat Phra Kaew

When Taksin’s reign ended, King Rama I established Bangkok as the new capital of Siam and enshrined the Emerald Buddha in the ubosot of the Wat Phra Kaew on the Grand Palace grounds, where it still remains today.

Other legends tell different versions of the story. Given the style of the image, some historians believe that it was created in Lanna in the 14^th or 15^th century.

Temples and chedis on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok

The Grand Palace of Bangkok

One of Thailand’s most famous landmarks
Wat Phra Kaew is on the palace grounds

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Location

The Wat Phra Kaew is located in the Grand Palace complex in Rattanakosin district, the historic part of town on the East bank of the Chao Phraya river.

How to get to the Wat Phra Kaew

Get there by river boat, MRT subway, taxi or tuk tuk.
For details, check Getting to the Grand Palace.

Discover all ways to get around Bangkok by public transport

Map of the Chao Phraya river express boat lines

An orange boat of the Chao Phraya river express boat service

Get to the Grand Palace by Chao Phraya River Express Boat

Sightseeing around the river
Check five express boat lines, route map & fares

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Dress code & conduct in the temple

As this is Thailand’s most highly revered temple there is a strict dress code. Please dress respectfully which means long pants or skirts and long sleeved shirts. Visitors who show up in short pants can borrow suitable clothes at the entrance of the Grand Palace. As in any temple, remove your shoes before entering the hall.

Please do not disturb people worshiping the Emerald Buddha with loud noise. Sit down with the feet pointing backwards away from the Emerald Buddha image. Taking photographs inside the ubosot is not allowed.