Thailand’s splendid capital Bangkok is a delightful place to explore and offers many attractions for the curious visitor. It features an array of appealing sightseeing attractions and holding a prominent place amongst these is the array of beautiful Buddhist temples. These temples often differ in appearance and many have their own distinctive features. Consider staying at 5 star hotels in Bangkok such as Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa before embarking on your journey of discovery to these sites.
One of the foremost temples in Bangkok is the splendid Wat Intharawihan. This esteemed Buddhist shrine situated near the shores of the Chao Phraya River is renowned for its huge statue of the standing Sakyamuni Buddha. This colossal image stands an awe-inspiring 32 m in height and measures no less than 10 m in width.
The temple has existed at its present location before the founding of the city of Bangkok in the year 1782, and was initially known by a different name. During the rule of King Rama I this place of worship was refurbished and renamed. However the construction of the actual Buddha figure was only commenced in 1867 when the reigning monarch was King Mongkut. Interestingly work was done on the statue for no less than sixty years before it was finally concluded in 1927. This tranquil and captivating statue is shown carrying an alms bowl, just like the bowl that monks even today carry to receive alms.
In 1964 and again in 1967 the current monarch of Thailand and his family applied gold leaf on the image’s forehead as well as on its topknot. Today the topknot of the statue contains priceless relics of Gautama Buddha which were offered as a gift by the government of the nation of Sri Lanka.
Even today this magnificent Buddha image is considered to possess the ability to bless devotees bestowing them with success in their pursuits. Every day of the week Buddhist devotees arrive at the temple compound to lay offerings of flowers and sticks of incense at the feet of the image. Tourists may also visit this place of worship and view its magnificent Buddha figure.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.