Wat Benjamabophit (Marble Temple) - Bangkok visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Wat Benjamabophit (Marble Temple)' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Central Thailand.

Wat Benjamabophit (The Marble Temple) contains a fusion of classical Thai and some European building elements. It was commissioned by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and the ubosot is made of white marble and is thus known as 'The Marble Temple'. Wat Benjamabophit is the most recent temple to be built in Bangkok.

The inside of the ubosot (bot) of Wat Benjamabophit is highly decorated and contains a bronze Buddha image. This is a replica of the famous Phra Buddha Chinnarat image found in the city of Phitsanulok in Northern Thailand, and is covered in gold leaf. The statue is stet against a blue backdrop surrounding by flame representations making a striking presentation quite different to that of other temples in Bangkok. The bot is not oblong, but cruciform for reasons given below.

Towards the 19th century King Rama V built the Chitrlada Palace and this resulted in two old temples being demolished. To make up the merit for this action he built Wat Benjamabophit on the site of a much older temple nearby. Wat Benjamabophit means "temple of the fifth king". King Rama was influenced by European designs having recently visited Europe and some of these can be seen in the construction of Wat Benjamabophit.

Most notable is the white Carrara marble of which the building is made, this alone making the Marble Temple unique in Thailand. Next the ubosot of Wat Benjamabophit is not oblong, but cruciform. The main Buddha image is set back in the apse of the building, where the high altar would be in a traditional church building, and entrance may be via one of the wings when the main entrance is shut.

Outside the Marble Temple it is worth looking at the 53 bronze Buddha statues in the colonnade around the 'cloisters' in the Temple Courtyard. These were gathered by Prince Damrong on the request of King Rama V and form an important collection of differently styles of Buddha representations from both Thailand and further afield. Many of them are originals, though some are copies.

After this take a stroll through the grounds of Wat Benjamabophit and look at the turtles in the canal, released here by worshipers to gain merit.

Wat Benjamabophit is on Thanon Sri Ayutthaya, close to the Statue of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), Chitrlada Palace, Dusit Zoo and the Royal Turf Club.

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