Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple)

Wat Benchamabophit Dusitwanaram stands on Rama V Road in Bangkok's Dusit district, close to Dusit Palace and the Government House. It is one of the city's best known temples, called the Marble Temple by visitors.

King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, ordered the temple to be built in 1899 after he built his new palace nearby. Its name means the temple of the fifth king near Dusit. The design was by Prince Naris, the king's half brother, one of the great artists and architects of the period.

The ordination hall, or ubosot, is covered in white Carrara marble from Italy and has tiered roofs of golden-orange glazed tiles. Its design blends classical Thai forms with European touches such as stained glass windows showing Thai scenes. Inside sits a copy of the Phra Buddha Chinnarat, a revered image from Phitsanulok, beneath which the ashes of King Chulalongkorn are interred. A cloister behind the hall holds 52 Buddha images in different styles from Thailand and other Buddhist countries.

The hall appears on the back of the Thai five baht coin. The temple is also known for the early morning tradition in which local people bring offerings to the monks who stand in line outside the gate, instead of the monks walking the streets.

An entry fee is charged for foreign visitors. The temple is open daily, and modest dress is required, with shoulders and knees covered.

How long did the building take? Work started in 1899 and the temple was finished in 1911. The main Buddha image, a replica of Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, was cast and enshrined in the ordination hall in December 1901. Wat Benchamabophit is a first-class royal temple of the Ratchaworawihan grade.

The 52 images in the cloister are each shown in a different posture or hand gesture, so the gallery works as a small museum of Buddhist art. The grounds also hold the Benchamabophit National Museum, the Bowarawong bell tower and two royal pavilions, Phra Thinang Song Phanot and Phra Thinang Song Tham. A canal runs through the compound and is crossed by three bridges, Saphan Phra Rup, Saphan Thuai and Saphan Ngan. Carrara marble covers the pillars and paves the courtyard as well as the walls of the hall.

The fee for foreign visitors is paid at the gate on Rama V Road; recent published figures range from 50 to 100 baht, so carry cash. Arrive soon after opening for the light on the marble and to avoid tour coaches. Shorts, short skirts and sleeveless tops are not accepted.