Wat Phrakaew Temple of the Emerald buddha
Located in the grounds of the Grand Palace, the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha is one of Buddhism' s most magnificent monasteries and probably the most famous place in Thailand.
This is the personal chapel of His Majesty the King of Thailand,and the Emeral Buddha itself the most sacred object to the Buddhists of Thailand.However,the lovely image is not emerald but is fashioned from a single piece of jasper and is 61 cm. high. The history of the Emerald Buddha is unusual. It was discovered in Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, in 1436 AD when a crack appeared in a large plaster Buddha image.
The Emerald Buddha was discovered inside. The small emerald image then began many years of travel. First taken to Lampang, then back to Chiang Mai, the image was then moved on to Luang Prabang and thence to Vientiane, Laos. The Emerald Buddha was finally recovered by Thailand during the reign of King Tak Sin in the 18th century.
The Emerald Buddha sits under a canopy on a gilded pedestal. The gemencrusted robes are changed by the King three times each year, with different robes for the rainy, the cool and hot seasons.
There are many other things to be seen at the Wat Phar Keo, in addition to the Emerald Buddha. Inside the spacious grounds, there are other magnificent buildings set on terraces. The Golden Chedi, The murals depicting the colorful story of the Hindu epic poem, the Ramayana; the mother-of-pearl inlaid doors of the Royal Chapel; these are but a few of the fascinating attractions for tourists visiting the Wat Phra Keo.
