Tuesday 19 November 2024
One Full Day in Bangkok Part 2 – Wat Pho

Wat Pho

Wat Pho is known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, and its official name is Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn. Wat Pho is first on the list of ten temples in Thailand classed as royal temples of the first class. Wat Pho was built under the reign of King Rama I in the early 1800s. The most significant feature (and tourist draw) is the large Reclining Buddha, a 46 meter-long (155 feet) reclining Buddha statue. Wat Pho is considered the oldest center for public education in Thailand, also houses a school of Thai medicine, and is regarded as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage which is still taught. A welcome garden seems to be new since last year.

Before I got into the pavilion of the Reclining Buddha, there was a gong I wanted to strike, so another tourist took a photo of me at the gong.

Every time I have been at Wat Pho, there are many, many tourists, but I still love standing near the large reclining Buddha statue and taking in the history, the relevance, and the beauty of this relic. It is difficult to get a good picture, because of the structure’s support columns, but here are a few photos. A note – I seem to have very little or no skill for taking “selfies” but I’ll keep trying, if only to prove that I really am in the places I photograph.

Then a selfie…not the best photo, but I am really there and sweating in the heat of the day.

The symbols and icons on the bottom of the feet of the Reclining Buddha are quite meaningful, but not a subject with which I am familiar.

Wat Pho is a fairly large campus. There is far more than the pavilion housing the Reclining Buddha. I have explored and photographed many buildings here in the past. I want to move along to two more temples, so I only took this picture of a couple of structures that are finished similarly to the towers at Wat Arun.

Next: Full Day in Bangkok Part 3 – Wat Suthat