The Marble Temple or Wat Benchamabophit

The Marble Temple or Wat Benchamabophit is one of the most beautiful temples of Thailand. Built by the order of King Rama V in 1899, its ordination hall was built of white Carara Italian marble. The engineer and architect were Italians namely Carlo Allegri and Mario Tamagno in that order. Standing in front of the ordination hall, you will enjoy an impressive view of the light-coloured marble building with a graceful multi-tiered roof covered with yellow glazed tiles, and a pair of white marble lions standing guard at its front door.

Enshrined in the ordination hall is the presiding Buddha image Phra Phuttha Chinnarat. It is a bronze replica of the original statue of the Sukhothai Period (1238-1438) which is still enshrined in Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat in Phitsanulok Province in the north of Thailand.

The visit to the temple cannot be ended in a short time for it offers several other things of great interest to tourists. Along the veranda are placed 52 Buddha statues in different postures representing classical styles of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka and Japan, including two stone images of the Dvaravati Period (7th-11th century).

You will find some of the constructions in the compound as beautiful as the ordination hall. One that should be mentioned is Song Phanuat Hall. It was originally located in the Grand Palace and was the place where King Chulalongkorn lived during his monkhood in 1873 when he was 20 years old. The King ordered its removal to the Marble Temple after the temple was built.

The Marble Temple or Wat Benchamabophit

Thai name วัดเบญจมบพิตร

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