Wat Arun — Temple of Dawn in Bangkok

Overview of Wat Arun

It was here, after the fall of Ayutthaya, that King Taksin found a small local shrine and interpreted it as an auspicious sign. This place was proclaimed the new capital of Siam.

The central element of Wat Arun Temple is a tower with a spire in the Khmer style, built in the first half of the 19th century by Rama II. The spire is decorated with colorful floral frescoes made of glazed porcelain, a common temple decoration in the early Rattanakosin period. The top above the terraces, which are also observation decks, is crowned with the trident of Shiva – an attribute of power and might.

The dedication hall in the main building of the Temple of Dawn is represented by a statue of Buddha, which, according to legend, was created by Rama II himself, as well as frescoes depicting Prince Siddhartha meeting birth, old age, illness and death outside the walls of the palace, renouncing worldly life.

The territory of the Wat Arun temple complex includes, among other things, two sanctuaries and a repository of Buddhist scriptures. There are six open-air pavilions adjacent to the river, which were traditionally intended for recreation or study, but nowadays are used as berths for tourist ships.