Wat Tramit
Wat Tramit
Wat Tramit
Wat Tramit
gold Buddha
Solid gold Buddha statue
beautiful relief
Expert craftmanship
 
book Wat Tramit tour

Opening Hours:

8am to 5pm – closed on mondays

Admission:

40 Thai Baht – ($1.4) As this is a temple no shorts, short skirts or vests are allowed.

Description:

Wat Trimit is the home to the world’s largest solid gold statute. The Buddha statue weighs 5.5 tonnes and is 3 metres tall.

What to see:

In addition to the statue itself the temple has an interesting exhibition about the Chinese community in Thailand on the second floor and an exhibition about the statue on the third floor.

This Buddha statue has an interesting history. It has been in Bangkok for about 200 years and was originally housed in a very small temple on the banks of the Chao Phraya river. At this stage the monks didn’t know it was made of gold because it was covered in a layer of plaster. The plaster was cracked when the statue was moved in 1955, and the gold was discovered.

The origins of the statue are not known. The best guess, because of the style of the statue, is that it was cast in the thirteenth century. It is believed to have come from the ancient capital of Ayutthaya which was regularly besieged by various invading foreign forces such as the Burmese. The layer of plaster was probably added to the statue to disguise it from the foreign invaders.

Getting There:

Address: Thanon Mittaphap Thai-China, Talat Noi

By Metro: The temple is a short walk from Hualamphong MRT station. Please note that the roads around the station can be difficult to cross. You may want to take a taxi or tuk-tuk the short distance to the temple, or alternatively wait until a group of locals are crossing.

Tour:

Starts at either 8am or 12pm with a pick up from your hotel. The early tour returns you to your hotel at 12pm, the later tour returns you to your hotel at 4pm. The tour also includes a visit to Wat Pho and Wat Benjamaborpit, all admission fees, and the services of an English speaking guide. Click below to book.

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