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Image adapted from Architecture of Siam by Clarence Aasen. Copyright 1998 .

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Wat Pho (1793 onward)

Wat Pho is a large Buddhist temple south of the royal palace. Although its history extends back at least to the 16th century, the current structures all date from 1793 or later. When the future King Rama I, the founder of the Chakri dynasty, unseated his rival Tak Sin in a bloody war, he transferred the capital across the river from Tonburi to what is today downtown Bangkok. As part of his grand development scheme, he renovated a dilapidated monastery called Wat Potaram. He renamed it Wat Pho Chetuphon, or the Bo-Tree monastery, and funded a construction effort that lasted seven years. The centerpiece of the temple was an enormous statue of the reclining Buddha, over 46 meters long and 15 meters high. Covered in gold leaf, it is housed in a special building built for its protection.

Rama III, the third king of the Chakri dynasty, enlarged the temple over a 17-year period beginning in 1839. He envisioned the temple as not just a monastery, but as a university that would house all forms of knowledge. He endowed the university with gifts and funding, creating Thailand's first public education center. He also spent lavishly to upgrade the gilding, icons, and decorations on the temple grounds.

Wat Pho is divided by a narrow road. Only the north half (shown above) is of interest to tourists.

Suksri, Naengnoi. Palaces of Bangkok: Royal Residences of the Chakri Dynasty
  Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1996. London