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Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand, set inside the Grand Palace grounds in Bangkok and built in 1782 with the founding of the city.
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Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
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In short
Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is Thailand's most sacred Buddhist temple, built in 1782 inside the Grand Palace walls on Bangkok's Rattanakosin Island. Foreign visitors pay 500 baht on the Grand Palace ticket, and Thai nationals enter free. Gates open 8:30 to 16:30, but sales stop at 15:30 and royal ceremonies can close it at short notice. Allow two to three hours.
Wat Phra Kaew stands inside the walls of the Grand Palace on Rattanakosin Island, the historic centre of Bangkok beside the Chao Phraya River. Its official name is Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram. King Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty, built it in 1782 when he moved the capital to the east bank of the river, and it served as the royal chapel. Unlike most Thai temples, it has no resident monks.
The temple houses the Emerald Buddha, a small seated figure about 66 centimetres tall carved from a single piece of green stone, usually described as jade or jasper. Its early history is uncertain; chronicles place it in northern Thailand in the fifteenth century, after which it passed through Lampang, Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Thai forces took it from Vientiane in 1779, and Rama I installed it in the new temple in 1784.
The figure sits high on a gilded altar in the ordination hall, the ubosot. Three times a year, at the change of seasons, the King or a royal representative changes its golden costume in a ceremony. The walls of the hall carry murals, and the outer walls are decorated with gold leaf, glass mosaic and guardian figures.
Around the hall stand the gold Phra Si Rattana Chedi, the Phra Mondop library, the Royal Pantheon and a model of Angkor Wat made in the reign of King Rama IV. Giant demon guardians called yaksha watch the gates, and the surrounding cloister has murals of the Ramakien, the Thai version of the Ramayana, painted along about 178 panels.
Entry is through the Grand Palace with one combined ticket for foreign visitors. A strict dress code applies: shoulders and knees must be covered. Photography is not allowed inside the ordination hall. Arrive at opening time to avoid the heat and crowds.
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Key information
🛕Built: 1782 by King Rama I
🟢Houses: The Emerald Buddha
📍Location: Inside the Grand Palace, Bangkok
👕Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered
💰Currency: Thai baht (THB)
🕕Time Zone: ICT (UTC+7)
Explore the area
Wat Pho 0.8 km
Tha Chang pier 0.5 km
Wat Arun 1 km by river ferry
✦
Plan your visit to Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
Dates, opening hours and how to get there are below. Booking ahead secures your preferred day.
Highlights Include:
Main buildings
- Ordination hall with the Emerald Buddha
- Phra Si Rattana Chedi
- Phra Mondop
- Royal Pantheon
Details
- Ramakien murals in the cloister
- Yaksha demon guardians
- Model of Angkor Wat
What They Offer
Visit duration
2 to 3 hours with the Grand Palace
Tours & experiences
Guided tours and experiences that include Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). See tours
Accessibility
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Age limits
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
What to pack
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
What to wear
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Not allowed
Ignore touts who say the palace is shut and steer visitors into tuk-tuk tours
Amenities
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Driving
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Public transportation
Tha Chang pier (Chao Phraya Express) or Sanam Chai MRT (Blue Line), each about ten minutes on foot.
Address
Grand Palace, Na Phra Lan Road; Wat Pho is a short walk south, a natural half-day together.
Opening Hours
- Monday08:30-16:30
- Tuesday08:30-16:30
- Wednesday08:30-16:30
- Thursday08:30-16:30
- Friday08:30-16:30
- Saturday08:30-16:30
- Sunday08:30-16:30
Last entry: Tickets sold until 15:30
Tickets sold until 3:30 PM, so arrive by early afternoon. The palace can close at short notice for royal ceremonies.
Special events
No special events on record for Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha).
Best times to visit
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Best days to visit
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Best months to visit
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Admission tickets
Prices and how to get tickets.
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) admission ticket
Ticket prices
500 baht for foreign visitors (Grand Palace ticket); Thai nationals free
Opening hours
Closed now · 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM · Last entry Tickets sold until 15:30
Visitor policy
Cancellation and prepayment
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Children and admission
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Groups
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Pets
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Photography
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Bags
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Smoking
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
Accepted payment
Not confirmed yet. Please check with the venue before you visit.
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Where to stay near Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
Hotels closest to Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), nearest first, so you spend less time on the road and more time there.
Bangkok
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok5-star hotel
No reviews yet3.9 km from Wat Phra Kaew
from$542.00/ night
- Free WiFi
- Airport shuttle
- Swimming pool
8 Rooms available
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
It is carved from a single block of green stone, generally described as jade or jasper, not emerald. It is about 66 cm tall.
Yes. It occupies the northeast part of the Grand Palace grounds and is visited with the same ticket.
Photography is not permitted inside the ordination hall. Photos are allowed in the outdoor courtyards.
No. It is a royal chapel without living quarters for monks, unlike most temples in Thailand.
They show the Ramakien, the Thai epic based on the Ramayana, painted in about 178 scenes around the cloister walls.
The nearest pier on the Chao Phraya Express Boat is Tha Chang. The MRT Sanam Chai station is about a 15-minute walk away.
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is in Bangkok, Thailand. The street address and directions are under How to get there on this page.
Explore the area on this page lists 3 places around Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), among them Wat Pho and Tha Chang pier.
Timing & weather
King Rama I began it in 1782 when Bangkok became the capital, and the Emerald Buddha was installed there in 1784.
Allow two to three hours for the temple and the rest of the Grand Palace.
The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew open daily from 8:30 to 16:30, with ticket sales ending at 15:30.
Stay & facilities
Shoulders and knees must be covered, and see-through or very tight clothing is not allowed. Sarongs or trousers can be borrowed or bought near the entrance.
Cancellations & changes
Its costume is changed three times a year to match the hot, rainy and cool seasons, in a ceremony led by the King or a royal representative.
Prices & payment
Foreign visitors pay 500 baht for the Grand Palace ticket, which includes Wat Phra Kaew, the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, the Arts of the Kingdom Museum and a Khon performance.
Getting there
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) is the airport for Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), about 29 km away in a straight line.