Wat Arun (Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, or Temple of the Dawn) is originally a Hindu temple located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in the capital of Thailand. This is one of the most famous landmarks in Asia. The temple is also a symbol of Bangkok, and the name Wat Arun (in Thai: วัด อรุณ) translates as “Temple of the Dawn”. You can get to it from the historic center of Bangkok by a small ferry, crossing the river in just 5 minutes.
The main interest of the Wat Arun temple complex is the high chedi built in the Khmer style and its unusual decor. Before the era of skyscrapers, it was the tallest structure in Bangkok at 79 meters. The entire surface of the chedi is richly decorated with Chinese porcelain, which is why Wat Arun is considered almost the most beautiful temple in all of Asia. The temple is very unique and unusual because it combines elements of Buddhist and Hindu cultures.
From the area where the Royal Palace and Wat Pho are located, you need to take a tourist ferry and cross to the other side of the river. After getting off the ferry, you will see the entrance to the Temple of Dawn, which is located next to the pier.
The ferry to Wat Arun in Bangkok runs every 10-15 minutes from Tha Tien pier, the cost of the crossing is only 4 baht ($ 0.13).
Temple History
Initially, on the site where the Wat Arun temple (Bangkok) is now, a small Buddhist temple Wat Makok was built in the 17th century, named after the small village in which it was located. At that time, the Kingdom of Thailand in its modern form did not yet exist, and its capital, Bangkok, did not exist as well.
Then, under King Taksin, immediately after the fall of the mighty Ayutthaya, a new capital was founded in the city of Thonburi, located near modern Bangkok. The nearby temple was enlarged by order of King Thaksin and received a new name in honor of the Hindu god Aruna, depicted in the form of morning dawn (the first rays of the light of the rising sun).
Temple territory
On the territory of the Wat Arun temple complex, there is the famous 79-meter pagoda, at the corners of which there are four smaller prangs. Prang is a Khmer-style chedi, and the most famous Khmer-style temple, which is architecturally similar to the Temple of Dawn, is Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
On the territory of the Temple of Dawn, there are also several pavilions, a vihara, a library, a hall of initiation, and several living quarters.
Information About Wat Arun
📍 Location: https://goo.gl/maps/zPk1ZofziUY1rKEDA
🏠 Address: 158 Wang Doem Rd, Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
🕒 Hours: 7:30AM-5:30PM
☎️ Phone: +66 2 891 2185
💲 Admission: 50 baht
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