Wat Po, the most extensive monastery in Bangkok, was built on the site of an older monastery known as Wat Pothraram. Although best known for its enormous reclining Buddha, it contains many other features which should not be missed.
On the huge grounds there are a large bot, four great chedi, the viharn of the Reclining Buddha, and other smaller viharn and chedi, It is suggested that tourists visit the centres of interest in Wat Po in this order:-
Scenes from the Ramayana are depicted on bas relief panels of marble on the substructure of the bot. The panels of marble were brought from the ruins of Ayutthaya after the former capital was sacked and destroyed by the Burmese in 1767.
Inside the bot. the walls are covered with murals describing episodes in the life of Lord Buddha. The ceiling is red and gold, the cross-beams are gilded, and the floor is marble. The gilded bronze sitting Buddha was brought from Wat Sala See Na, an ancient monastery in Thon Buri.
The eastern viharn contains a standing Buddha from Ayutthaya. In the southern and western viharn, there are Buddha images from Sukhothai; while in the northern viharn the Buddha is represented as being seated in the Western manner.
In the courtyard are four large chedi standing opposite the lingam. These chedi represent the first four Kings of the Chakri Dynasty.
The viharn of the great Re clinging Buddha is in the western courtyard. This image, representing the Buddha as he was attaining Nirvana, is 46 meters long and 15 meters high. The image is made of cement-covered brick, covered with gold leaf. The soles of the feet are inlaid with mother-of -pearl with the 108 signs. marks and qualities by which a true Buddha is recognized.
It is of interest to know that many of the finest temple rubbings come from the Wat Po.
On the huge grounds there are a large bot, four great chedi, the viharn of the Reclining Buddha, and other smaller viharn and chedi, It is suggested that tourists visit the centres of interest in Wat Po in this order:-
- The bot and surrounding galleries.
- The four great chedi.
- The Reclining Buddha.
The bot is located in a courtyard surrounded by double rows of galleries containing 394 sitting Buddha images. A low wall with eight small gates, each gate guarded by bronze lions, surrounds the building. The boundary stones (bot are surrounded by eight symbolic boundary stones) are housed in small pavilions crowned with spires on the wall.
The three-tiered roof of red and yellow tiles is supported by square pillars. The massive teak wood doors are inlaid with mother-of-pearl in exquisite designs.Scenes from the Ramayana are depicted on bas relief panels of marble on the substructure of the bot. The panels of marble were brought from the ruins of Ayutthaya after the former capital was sacked and destroyed by the Burmese in 1767.
Inside the bot. the walls are covered with murals describing episodes in the life of Lord Buddha. The ceiling is red and gold, the cross-beams are gilded, and the floor is marble. The gilded bronze sitting Buddha was brought from Wat Sala See Na, an ancient monastery in Thon Buri.
The eastern viharn contains a standing Buddha from Ayutthaya. In the southern and western viharn, there are Buddha images from Sukhothai; while in the northern viharn the Buddha is represented as being seated in the Western manner.
In the courtyard are four large chedi standing opposite the lingam. These chedi represent the first four Kings of the Chakri Dynasty.
The viharn of the great Re clinging Buddha is in the western courtyard. This image, representing the Buddha as he was attaining Nirvana, is 46 meters long and 15 meters high. The image is made of cement-covered brick, covered with gold leaf. The soles of the feet are inlaid with mother-of -pearl with the 108 signs. marks and qualities by which a true Buddha is recognized.
It is of interest to know that many of the finest temple rubbings come from the Wat Po.
