Religious, Spiritual sights in Thailand
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Baan Krua
Baan Krua literally means ‘Muslim Family Village’ and is one of Bangkok’s oldest communities. It dates to the turbulent years at the end of the 18th century, when Cham Muslims from Cambodia and Vietnam fought on the side of the new Thai king and were rewarded with this plot of land east of the new capital. The immigrants brought their silk-weaving traditions with them, and the community grew when the residents built Khlong Saen Saeb to better connect them to the Chao Phraya river.
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Wat Phanan Choeng
One of the major Ayuthaya highlights, the busy and modern-looking Wat Phanan Choeng is a popular pilgrimage destination for weekenders from Bangkok. Although the original temple allegedly pre-dates the Ayuthaya era, many Thai-Chinese regard this temple with special reverence because of its later benefactor Sam Po Kong (Zheng He), a Chinese explorer who visited Ayuthaya in 1407.
As an emissary of the Chinese imperial court, Sam Po established diplomatic and trading relations all along his sea voyage, which extended as far west as Africa. For many local worshippers, the famous Buddha image (Luang Por Phanan Choeng or Phra Phanan Choeng) is often directly associated with the…
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Wat Na Phra Meru
This Wat Na Phra Meru escaped destruction during the Burmese attack in 1767 because it was used as the invading army's headquarters. It was also the site where the Burmese king was fatally injured after firing a defective cannon. His death ended the sacking of Ayuthaya.
Restoration of the temple, which was originally built in 1546, took place during the reign of King Rama III of the Bangkok era. The primary draw here is the main bòt (central sanctuary) which contains an amazing carved wooden ceiling depicting the Buddhist heavens, with Mt Sumeru in the centre. There is also a splendid Ayuthaya-era Buddha image sitting 6m high. The unique characteristics of the Ayuthaya a…
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Wat Chiang Man
The oldest wát (temple or monastery) in the city, Wat Chiang Man was founded by King Mengrai in 1296 and features typical Northern Thai temple architecture with massive teak columns inside the bòt (central sanctuary).
There are two important Buddha images in a cabinet to the right of this area. The first, Phra Sila, stands about 25cm (10in) tall, and reputedly came from Sri Lanka or India 2500 years ago. Chances are it isn't quite that old (Buddha images weren't created for about another 500 years), but it's still an extremely impressive and revered artefact. The other, a crystal seated Buddha only 10cm (4in) in height is about 1800 years old. Known as the Phra Satang M…
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Wat Suthat
Wat Suthat’s truly remarkable Buddha image, acres of colourful murals and – during most of the year – relative tranquillity make it arguably the most appealing of all Bangkok’s Buddhist temples. The main attraction is Thailand’s biggest wí·hăhn (main chapel) and the imperious yet serene 8m-high Phra Si Sakayamuni that resides within. The image is Thailand’s largest surviving Sukhothai-period bronze, a serene-looking gilded masterpiece that was cast in the former capital in the 14th century. In 1808 it was retrieved from the ruins of Sukhothai and floated on a barge down Mae Nam Chao Phraya to be installed in this temple and serves as both the centre of Bangko…
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Wat Phra Kaew
Also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew is the colloquial name of the vast, fairy-tale compound that includes the former residence of the Thai monarch, the Grand Palace. The Temple gleams and glitters with so much colour and glory that its earthly foundations seem barely able to resist the celestial pull.
The complex is also the spiritual core of Thai Buddhism and the monarchy, symbolically united in what is the country’s most holy image, the Emerald Buddha. Attached to the temple complex is the former royal residence, once a sealed city of intricate ritual and social stratification. A strict dress code is enforced: closed-toed shoes, long pants or s…
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Sri Gurusingh Sabha
Just off Th Chakraphet is Sri Gurusingh Sabha, a gold-domed Sikh temple best viewed from Soi ATM. Basically it’s a large hall, somewhat reminiscent of a mosque interior, devoted to the worship of the Guru Granth Sahib, the 17th-century Sikh holy book, which is itself considered the last of the religion’s 10 great gurus. Prasada (blessed food offered to Hindu or Sikh temple attendees) is distributed among devotees every morning around 9am, and if you arrive on a Sikh festival day you can partake in the langar (communal Sikh meal) served in the temple. If you do visit this shrine, be sure to climb to the top for panoramic views of Chinatown. Stores surrounding the templ…
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Sao Ching-Cha
It is easy to forget the powers of the Brahmans in Thai Buddhism, unless you happen upon the giant red poles of Sao Ching-Cha (the Giant Swing). During the second lunar month (usually in January), Brahman beliefs dictate that Shiva comes down to earth for a 10-day residence and should be welcomed by great ceremonies and, in the past, great degrees of daring. So each year the acrobatic and desperate braved the Great Swing. The ceremony saw these men swing in ever-higher arcs in an effort to reach a bag of gold suspended from a 15m bamboo pole. Whoever grabbed the gold could keep it. But that was no mean feat, and deaths were as common as successes.
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Wat Ko Kaew Sutharam
From the clock tower on Th Matayawong, look for signs leading to the Ayuthaya-period Wat Ko Kaew Sutharam (Wat Ko). The bòht features early-18th-century murals that are among the best in Thailand. One panel depicts what appears to be a Jesuit priest wearing the robes of a Buddhist monk, while another shows other foreigners undergoing Buddhist conversions. There is also a large wooden monastic hall on stilts - it's similar to the ones at Wat Borom and Wat Trailok but is in much better condition.
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Wat Traimit (The Golden Buddha)
Wat Traimit, also known as the Temple of the Golden Buddha, is home to the world’s largest gold statue, a gleaming, 3m-tall, 5.5 tonne Buddha image with a mysterious past and a current value of more than US$40 million in gold alone. Sculpted in the graceful Sukhothai style (notice the hair curls and elongated earlobes), the image is thought to date from the late Sukhothai period. But if it is possible for a Buddha image to lead a double life, then this priceless piece has most certainly done so.
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Wat Chai Wattanaram
Everyone's favourite sunset shot, Wat Chai Wattanaram is one of Ayuthaya's most impressive homages to the Angkor/Khmer style. A central prang is flanked by minor prang arranged in each cardinal direction, in a prime riverside setting. The temple is said to have been built in the 17th century by King Prasat Thong in honour of his mother and was extensively restored in the 1980s. These ruins can be reached by boat or by bicycle via a nearby bridge.
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Namdhari Sikh Temple
West of the Talat Tonlamyai market, along Th Chang Moi is the city’s small Chinatown, most obviously marked by a flamboyant Chinese-style arch and the typical two-storey shophouses of Southeast Asia’s mercantile districts. A small population of Sikhs also live in this area and specialise in selling bolts of fabric. They worship at the nearby Namdhari Sikh Temple, catering to the Namdhari sect of Sikhism.
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Wat Ratburana
Across Th Naresuan from Wat Phra Mahathat, the Wat Ratburana retains one of the best preserved prang on the island. It was built in the 15th century by King Borom Rachathirat II on the cremation site for his two brothers who had died battling each other in hopes of assuming the throne. Monument building in Ayuthaya was often done as an act of merit for a deceased royal elder rather than for glorification of the present ruler.
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Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Built by King U Thong in 1357, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is a quiet old place that was once a famous meditation wat. According to some legends, the monks at this temple were consulted by conspirators for an auspicious time to stage a royal coup. Most impressive though is the large 7m-long reclining Buddha, obviously enjoying the sunshine. The temple is southeast of the town proper and is best reached by motorised transport.
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Wat Matchimawat
This large temple compound typifies the Sino-Thai temple architecture of 18th-century Songkhla. The walls of the adjacent bòht (ordination hall) are decorated with some of the most beautiful temple murals in southern Thailand, some of which depict life in 19th-century Songkhla. The doors of the bòht are often locked; contact one of the resident monks if you'd like to take a look inside.
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Wat Hat Som Paen
The village of Hat Som Paen is a former tin-mining community. At Wat Hat Som Paen visitors feed fruit to the huge Ъlah ploo·ang (black carp) in the temple stream. The faithful believe these carp are actually tair·wá·dah, a type of angel, and it's forbidden to catch and eat them. Legend has it that those who do will contract leprosy.
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Assumption Cathedral
Marking the ascendancy of the French missionary influence in Bangkok during the reign of Rama II, this Romanesque church with its rich golden interior dates from 1910 and hosted a Mass by Pope John Paul II in 1984; his statue now stands outside the main door. The schools associated with the cathedral are considered some of the best in Thailand.
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Wat Traimit (Temple of the Golden Buddha)
Wat Traimit shelters a 3m-tall, 5.5-tonne, solid-gold Buddha image - an impressive sight. This gleaming figure was once covered in stucco, but during efforts to move it in the 1960s, the figure fell, cracking the stucco and revealing the treasure inside. The covering was probably intended to hide it during one of Burma's many invasions.
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Wat Arun
The precursor to modern skyscrapers, this Khmer-style temple dominates the river landscape like an ancient military installation. Up close, the masculine monument is decorated in delicate mosaic details and marks the re-emergence of the Thai capital after the Burmese invasion in the 18th century.
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Wat Bupparam
At Wat Bupparam , no two guardian deity sculptures are alike; the whimsical forms include animals playing and various mythical creatures. Wat Bupparam contains a charming little bòt constructed of teak and decorated in pure Lanna style.
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Wat Thammikaram
If you really need some exercise, hike the 418 steps to the golden-spired Wat Thammikaram, established by King Rama IV. Hordes of monkeys provide endless entertainment along the way. The view from the top stretches west to Myanmar's border, only 11km away.
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Wat Borom
Next to Wat Trailok and opposite Wat Yai Suwannaram on Th Phongsuriya, a little to the east. It's not especially attractive, but does have distinctive monastic halls and long, graceful wooden 'dormitories' on stilts.
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Wat Trailok
Next to Wat Borom and opposite Wat Yai Suwannaram on Th Phongsuriya, a little to the east. It's not especially attractive, but does have distinctive monastic halls and long, graceful wooden 'dormitories' on stilts.
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Wat Neranchararama
The beautiful Wat Neranchararama features an unusual six-armed Buddha statue. Each hand covers a sensory organ in a symbolic gesture denying the senses - kinda like 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil'.
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Thai-Chinese Buddhist Temple
Thai-Chinese Buddhist temple can be found on Ko Loi, a small rocky island connected to the mainland by a long jetty at the northern end of Si Racha’s waterfront, which is fun to explore.
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