In the heart of the sunny capital of Thailand, the main symbol of Bangkok and one of the most famous attractions in Asia rises on the picturesque bank of the Chao Phraya River. The unique monument of temple architecture Wat Arun meaning the Temple of Dawn is the principal Buddhist-Hindu shrine. All significant ceremonies and rituals where you can see the king and members of the royal family take place here. That’s why the temple is never empty. Even those who are not worshipers of the sacred art line up to get inside.

The hallmark of the Temple of Dawn is the so-called chedi or Phra Pathom Chedi. It is a stupa more than 80 meters tall having four steep stairs leading to the top from all sides of the world. High rungs of the stairs symbolize obstacles on the way to comprehend spiritual knowledge throughout human life. Facades of the original temple made in a Khmer style are covered with ceramic tiles and Chinese porcelain mosaics, decorated with sculptures of monkeys and local demons. Besides, statues of fearless warriors stand at the base. No matter how steep the staircase to the temple is, it’s worth coming up to the observation deck of the central 82-meter prang. A «helicopter perspective» gives a fantastic view of the historical center of Bangkok, the banks of the largest Thai river Chao Phraya and, of course, four later 16-metres prangs.

The majestic stone temple was built in the 18th century. Previously, there was a small shrine Wat Makok that gave place to a more spacious and solemn temple. According to the local legend, the storied statue of the Emerald Buddha was preserved there during the reign of King Rama I. The main shrine of Thailand stayed there until it was transferred to another temple of Bangkok – Wat Phrakeu.

Today in Wat Arun, you can see a gilded statue of the founder of Buddhism sitting in the lotus position. The right hand of the Buddha barely touches the ground and the left one is turned with the palm to the sky. Under the statue, there are buried ashes of King Rama II.