Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit)

Why Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit) is special ?

Located at the end of Chinatown's Yaowarat Road, near Hualampong Railway Station, Wat Traimit houses the world's largest massive gold seated Buddha measuring nearly five metres in height and weighing five and a half tons. In the past, artisans crafted the Buddhas in gold and disguised them from invading armies by a covering of stucco and plaster.

The Golden Buddha was taken to the Wat Chotanaram in Bangkok. In the 1930’s the image finally ended up in the Wat Traimit, still covered in plaster. In 1955 a viharn was erected to house the image. When the Golden Buddha was moved to the new building using a crane, a cable broke and the image fell to the ground and into the mud. The workmen are said to have run off fearing bad luck.

The next day, when a monk returned to the temple he found the image still in the mud, with some of the plaster coating broken revealing the gold, thus revealing the true identity and value of the image.

Source: https://www.renown-travel.com

What to explore at Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit)?

In 2008, a 3 storey building named Phra Maha Mondop was erected to house the Golden Buddha image. The first floor contains a museum, the Chine town Heritage centre where visitors can learn about the history of China town and the Chinese immigrants in Bangkok. The second floor contains an exhibition on the history of the Golden Buddha. Some of the coating that revealed its true identity are on display here. The top floor of the Phra Maha Mondop contains the Golden Buddha image.

Source: https://www.renown-travel.com

How to get to Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit)?

Wat Traimit is located just off Odeon traffic circle, which is dominated by the huge symbolic Chinese gate marking the entrance to Bangkok's Chinatown. As such, it makes an excellent start, or end, to a Chinatown tour, which can be started from the Ratchawong Pier of the Chaophraya River Express Boat service.

The temple is also a very short distance from Hualamphong railway station, with its many food courts and easy transportation access. It's also an easy walk from the subway station at Hualamphong.

Source: http://bangkokforvisitors.com