- Type: Religious Sights
NileGuide Expert tip:
Take a Chao Phraya river ferry to Tha Thien (pier) where there is a cross-river ferry directly to Wat Arun. The price is about 3 baht. Enter at the turnstile.
Description:
Formerly known as Wat Jaeng, the 79m-high (260-ft.), Khmer-inspired tower was renamed the "Temple of Dawn," by King Thaksin, Bangkok's founder. He was keen to signal the rise of a new kingdom after Ayutthaya was decimated, and so borrowed the name -- which means dawn -- from the Hindu God, Aruna. Fittingly, it's at its most wondrous as the sun rises and sets.
The original tower was only 15m (50 ft.) high but was expanded during the rule of Rama III (1824-1851) to its current height. The exterior is decorated with flower and decorative motifs made of ceramic shards donated to the monastery by local people, at the request of the King. At the base of the complex are Chinese stone statues, once used as ballast in trading ships, which were gifts from Chinese merchants.
You can climb the central prang, but be warned: The steps are treacherously tall, narrow, and steep -- and even more precarious coming down. If you go up, notice the Hindu gods atop the three-headed elephants. The view of the river, Wat Po, and Grand Palace is well worth the climb. Be sure to walk to the back of the tower to the monks' living quarters, a tranquil world far from the bustle of Bangkok's busy streets.
- © Frommer's 2013
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Ask a local about Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
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Ask Bangkok Locals about Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
Awards:
Frommer's
- Very Highly Recommended 2010
- Details
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Contact:
- visit website
- tel: +66 2 225 7612 (Tourist Information)
- fax: +66 2 225 7615 (Tourist Information)
- send email
Address:
- 34 Arun Amarin Road
- West bank of the Chao Phraya, opposite Tha Thien Pier
- Bangkok 10600
Hours:
- Daily 9am-5:30pm
Strenuousness:
- Easy
- User Rating
