Wat Arun
158 Thanon Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok

With its soaring Prang-style architecture, the spectacular Wat Arun is one of the most iconic temples in all of Thailand. It is widely known as the Temple of Dawn – because, as legend has it, after the original temple had been badly damaged during the fall of Ayutthaya, King Taksin passed it at dawn, and vowed to restore it. During Taksin’s reign, Wat Arun was used to house the country’s most sacred object: The Emerald Buddha, which the king brought back from Laos in 1778. 

Wat Hong Rattanaram
72 Wang Derm Alley 2, Wang Derm Rd, Wat Arun, Bangkok

This stately temple, just a few minutes’ walk from Wat Arun, is home to a series of extraordinarily beautiful and well-maintained interior murals, which depict the history of the Emerald Buddha – the sacred palladium of Thailand. Wat Hong Rattanaram was built during the Ayutthaya dynasty, but subsequently refurbished during the reign of King Taksin. The compound includes a pool of holy water, where Taksin was reputed to have taken a bath before setting off to war against the Burmese.

King Taksin Shrine
111 Itsaraphap Rd, Wat Arun, Bangkok

Just outside the Hong Rattanaram temple is a shrine to King Taksin the Great, believed to be oldest in Thailand. The original shrine was built of wood during Taksin’s reign, as a sign of gratitude for the king’s restoration of the temple. Later, the Royal Thai Navy constructed a new, more modern shrine while preserving the historic one for prayers. 


Wat Arun / 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok / touristbangkok.com
Wat Hong Rattanaram / 72 Wang Derm Alley 2, Wang Derm Rd, Wat Arun, Bangkok / tour-bangkok-legacies.com
King Taksin Shrine / 111 Itsaraphap Rd, Wat Arun, Bangkok / tourismthailand.org

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