Wat Ratchabophit, Bangkok

Wat Ratchabophit is a royal temple located near the Ministry of the Interior and the Grand Palace of Bangkok. The full name of the temple is Wat Raja Bopits Athitma Hasimaram, which means 鈥淭emple under the Royal Construction with the Great Sacred Boundaries鈥�. Being the last temple erected by King Rama V in the late 19th century, it features both traditional Thai and new European elements with some distinct Gothic features, and is distinctly one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand.

The entire compound of the Wat holds a cluster of buildings 鈥� the ordination hall, Phra chedi, the wihan in front, the circumambultory gallery and small open pavilions standing in row or on sides 鈥� sheathed with marble and placed on elevated bases within the surrounding wall, one meter high, decorated with glass Chinese tiles of five colors, designed by Phra Achan Daeng, a well-known artist of King Rama's period.

The wihan is similar in architectural style to the ordination hall, except for the richly carved wooden door and window panels. It houses 鈥淧hra Prathip Warothai鈥�, a seated image of Buddha displaying the "subduing Mara" gesture, and three cabinets holding the Tripitaka carved on palm leaves.

The living quarters of the monks and temple workers is on the south side. There is also a Chinese-style building nearby that used to accommodate kings during their stay at the temple. Also nearby is a storage area for disused Buddha images. A burial ground with small monuments and neat paths is present on the west side. Some of them were built by King Rama V, while others - by the royal members in later periods. Designed in different shapes, such as chedi, prang and wihan, these buildings are also patterned in different architectural styles 鈥� Thai, Khmer and Gothic.

Surprisingly enough, despite free public entry, this attraction is not as famous as the other temples close by.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Bangkok. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 51爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Wat Ratchabophit
Sight Location: Bangkok, Thailand (See walking tours in Bangkok)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Wats and Temples of Bangkok

Walking Tours in Bangkok, Thailand

Create Your Own Walk in Bangkok

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bangkok is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Bangkok Old City Walk

The Thai capital Bangkok emerged in the 15th century as a small trading post in the Chao Phraya River delta. The origin of the name 鈥淏angkok鈥� is unclear and was likely a colloquial adopted by foreigners, in which Bang is the Thai word for 鈥渧illage on a stream鈥� and Ko means 鈥渋sland鈥�, referring to the city's watery landscape. Another opinion is that it may be shortened from Bang... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Wats and Temples of Bangkok

The 鈥淐ity of Angels鈥� 鈥� Bangkok 鈥� is a home to over 400 temples. Known locally as "wats", some of them are massive complexes, quite famous and attracting thousands of tourists every day, while others are smaller and lesser-known, located far down the tiny "sois" (side streets), well out of tourist traffic. Still, all these shrines equally form an integral part of the... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Flower Market to Chinatown

One of the shopping capitals of the world, Bangkok is a city where you can buy almost anything, provided you know where to find it. And if shopping spree is high on your agenda, then the local markets are the best place to go.

Vibrant atmosphere, smiling faces, plus the staggering variety of unique things on offer, including wealth of delicious street food and snacks 鈥� there's nothing... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

Food Walk

There aren't many cities out there, if any, beside the Thai capital to be just as voracious and passionate about eating! Food in Bangkok is a key aspect of daily life, attesting to which are the numerous eateries all over the city. And what's more, regardless of where you have it, be it a scrumptious street food stall or a fancy restaurant, the local food never fails to impress.

... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Chinatown Walking Tour

Bangkok's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. Founded in 1782, the core of it lies along Yaowarat Road, which serves as the main artery and sometimes lends its name to the whole area.

The district has been the center for trading by the Thai Chinese community for almost 200 years, progressively evolving from a vast wilderness outside the city walls to a major... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

Top 15 Things to Buy in Bangkok

Well-made, local products not only remind people of the trip they've had, but also make great gifts to bring home to family and friends. Following is the list of original and representative of Bangkok local specialties that you might wish to consider as a memorable...

7 Places in Bangkok for Superb Street Food

Eating is huge in Bangkok, and luckily for the famished, you won't be that way for long, regardless of the hour. You can find conglomerations of vendors selling five-star fast food (in the you-won't-have-to-wait-long-to-enjoy-it sense, not McDonald's style) for under 100 baht (roughly...

51爆料网