Wat Arun

Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, commonly known as Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn, is a Buddhist temple on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok Yai District, Bangkok. Renowned for its towering central prang decorated with colored glass and porcelain, it is one of Thailand's most iconic landmarks. Originally dating to the Ayutthaya period and restored under Kings Rama II to Rama IV, it offers riverside views opposite the Grand Palace.

Visitors can expect a riverside temple complex dominated by a 70+ meter central prang surrounded by four smaller prangs, all encrusted with porcelain and glass mosaics. The grounds include the ordination hall, murals, Buddha images, and landscaped courtyards along the Chao Phraya River. Visitors explore the lower terraces and exterior stairways, view detailed ornamentation, and enjoy panoramic river and city views opposite Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. The site is active for worship and sightseeing.

Originally established during the Ayutthaya period as Wat Makok and later known as Wat Chaeng. King Taksin established his capital at Thonburi and restored the temple, housing the Emerald Buddha there briefly. Major restoration and enlargement of the central prang occurred under King Rama II and was completed under King Rama III, with further restoration under King Rama IV.

A first-class royal temple (Ratchawaramahawihan) and important Buddhist site in Thailand. The central prang symbolizes Mount Meru in Buddhist cosmology and the temple is an iconic cultural landmark featured on Thai currency and in national imagery.