Wat Phra Kaew
วัดพระแก้ว
Thailand's most sacred temple, inside the Grand Palace.
Address
Na Phra Lan Rd, Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon
About
Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, sits inside the walls of the Grand Palace and is the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha itself is a small (66 cm) figure carved from a single block of green jadeite — not actual emerald, despite the name — believed to have travelled from India through Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and finally to Bangkok in 1784, where it has stayed since. Its seasonal robes are changed three times a year by the king himself.
The compound surrounding the central ubosot is one of the densest examples of Thai religious architecture you'll see anywhere — golden chedi (Phra Sri Ratana), a Khmer-style prang library (Phra Mondop), gilded mythological figures, and miniature replicas of Angkor Wat that were ordered by Rama IV after a state visit. The cloister walls carry 178 painted panels depicting scenes from the Ramakien (the Thai version of the Ramayana), restored over multiple reigns.
Practical notes: photography is allowed in the courtyards but forbidden inside the main ubosot housing the Buddha. The same dress code as the Grand Palace applies. The visit takes 60–90 minutes after the Grand Palace tour, walking distance.
Best time to visit
Morning with the Grand Palace ticket
Tips
No photography inside the ordination hall. Sit, don't point your feet at the Buddha.
Tags
- Must see
- Royal
- Sacred
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