Simply known as the Marble Temple, Wat Benchamabophit is a beautiful Buddhist temple built in Italian marble. The meaning of its name is “Temple of the fifth King nearby Dusit located Palace”. The main hall of the temple contains a statue of Golden Buddha, a replica of Phra Buddha Chinaraha, made in Sukothai style of sculpting. The ashes of King Rama V are placed under the statue of Buddha. In its courtyard, visitors can admire 52 different statues of Buddha. Every statue was brought here from different countries. Some of them are from China, Myanmar and others are from Japan and Cambodia. For its beauty, Wat Benchamabophit is considered as one of the most exquisite works of Thai architecture.
Wat Benchamabophit – The Marble Temple
Posted on: 19th February 2016
History of Wat Benchamabophit
Since the times of Ayutthaya, even before the founding of Bangkok, there was a temple on the same location. In the nineteenth century, the army of Laos attacked the city of Bangkok but they lost. Wat Benchamabophit was built in gratitude for the victory over the invading army and a new temple was constructed over the old temple. Construction of the temple began in 1899 at the request of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) after building his palace nearby. The Wat Benchamabophit was designed by Prince Narai, half brother of the king, and Carrara marble was imported from Italy to build the temple. The king founded this temple to spread Buddhism and to commemorate important events of his life such as a victory of a birth.
Practical Information
Wat Benchamabopit is located at 69 Sydney Road, Bangkok. Travelers can visit the temple any day between 8 am and 5 pm; make your trip worthwhile by choosing an economical Bangkok car rental from us, at Thailand Cars Rentals. While visiting the temple, dress appropriately, remove your shoes, never touch any statue, lower your voice and never point your feet towards the statues. Short and transparent clothes are strictly prohibited.