The Temple of the Golden Buddha, or Wat Traimit, is located in Bangkok's Chinatown. Thanks to the largest statue of the legendary founder of religion, it is popular all over the world. It should be noted that the traditional national religion, which is passed down from generation to generation in Thailand, is precisely Buddhism.
Bangkok Attractions
There are 3 main attractions in the city that are part of the tourist travel routes. Temples:
- the lying Buddha;
- gold - the main national treasure, known far beyond Thailand;
- jade located in the royal palace.
It is known from the legend that Wat Treimit was built by three Chinese people, this unique building is also known as Sanhua Temple. It houses one of the largest Buddha statues in the world, which weighs 5.5 tons and has a height of almost 4 meters.
Initially, this temple was small in size, had no outstanding architectural features. Thanks to the prestigious name, support and selfless sacrifice of the people around it, Wat Trimit has been constantly updated and expanded. Now it is one of the most popular attractions in the country.
Golden buddha story
The origin of the huge statue is not exactly known. The style of execution of the sculpture suggests that it was cast during the reign of Sukhothai. At that time (from 1238 to 1438) the kingdom of Sukhothai existed, it was located on the territory of modern Northern Thailand.
Over the centuries, the true identity and value of the statue has not been confirmed. Only in the 1950s, it was accidentally discovered that the Buddha was cast in pure gold, and his eyes were made of black sapphires and white pearls. This sculpture had a weight of about five and a half tons, most likely its age is approximately 700-800 years.
Transfer to Ayutthaya
After the defeat of Sukhothai and the emergence of a new kingdom (1350 - 1767), the statue was probably transferred to the temple of the Golden Abode of Buddha in Ayutthaya, the capital of ancient Siam. In 1767, the city was destroyed by the Burmese invaders. To mask the sculpture and prevent the theft by the Burmese, the Golden Buddha was covered with plaster and stucco.
After the destruction of Ayutthaya, the statue remained in the city without attracting attention, and its true origin and its values were forgotten. After King Rama I declared Bangkok the new capital, he ordered thousands of sculptures from the northern regions of the country, mentioned earlier, to be brought, due to the still existing threat of the Burmese, to one of the temples in the city.
Golden Buddha Journey
In the 1930s, the statue finally hit Wat Chotanaram, still covered in plaster. Then an amazing story happened with her, described in a brochure that is issued along with an entrance ticket to visit the temple.
During the 50s of the last century, the East Asian company bought the land around the sanctuary for its external arrangement. The condition for the redemption of land was the removal from the structure of an unremarkable statue of a plaster Buddha. To the surprise of the workers, it turned out to be so heavy that the crane cable broke during lifting. The sculpture fell to the ground. All this happened in the rainy season, so the Buddha was in the mud, and the workers fled in fear.
The next day, the monks who came to the statue saw glimpses of gold under the plaster of gypsum and broken plaster. Thus, the true value of the statue was revealed. It is assumed that it was created in India and at one time was located on the territory of the former state of Sukhothai. Currently, the sculpture is located in the Golden Buddha Temple in Bangkok.
Sanctuary tour
To get to Wat Traimit, you need to walk 7 minutes from Hua Lamphong subway station. At the end of Jawarot Street in Chinatown, you can see the magnificent, very atmospheric temple building with a golden roof. It is impossible not to notice it. Opening hours: from 09:00 to 17:00.
The sanctuary does not charge tourists and has a policy of absolute accessibility. Time to visit him does not take more than an hour. In the Temple of the Golden Buddha you need to take off your shoes. This is a tradition.
Through the open door of the temple, you can see the Golden Buddha sitting on a white platform and watching everyone who enters the temple.
Russia's Largest Dharma Sanctuary
The Golden Temple of Buddha Shakyamuni, which is located in Elista, is considered the largest such building in Russia. Its construction lasted 5 months and was completed in 2005. The Golden Temple of Dreams is called Kalmyks. It is visible from anywhere in the city. This is a large white building, made in the characteristic Buddhist culture style. Kalmyks call it the Golden abode of Buddha Shakyamuni.
The temple, founded by the Dalai Lama, is considered the largest in Europe and is the seat of the spiritual leader of Buddhism. Genghis Khan’s sword is walled up in its roof.
Visitors approaching the sanctuary see the White Elder, who patronizes the area. Also, visitors' attention can be drawn to 17 pagodas with sculptures of gilded figures of Buddhist saints. Hurul (such is his second name) includes 7 levels.
In the golden temple of Buddha in Elista is a 9-meter statue of the founder of the religion, covered with gold leaf, inlaid with diamonds.
The statue is hollow, in it is the repository of sacred objects of faith. These include scrolls with sacred mantras, incense and handfuls of earth from all places of the republic. At the 4th level of the temple is the residence of the president of the republic and the head of Kalmyk Buddhists.
The statues mentioned undoubtedly deserve to be seen.