The Wat Phra Kaew

The Wat Phra Kaew, often referred to as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is located in proximity to Bangkok's Royal Palace. The temple has the difference of being the most respected shrine of Buddhist worship in Thailand. The centerpiece of the temple is the Emerald Buddha, a dark green-colored statue measuring about two feet in height. No-one may come up to the statue except for the King of Thailand, who performs important resources at the temple at certain times of the year.

Many people believe that the Buddha statue originated from Sri Lanka, but expert art historians are of the view that the statue was created in Thailand in the 14th century. There is no hesitation that the statue has experienced a confused history. Legend has it that it was hidden in a monument in Chiang Rai, but was exposed by a flash of lightning in 1434.

The temple complex also features several pavilions and other monuments, notably three pagodas in unreliable modes of Buddhist structural design. One of these is a stupa in the Sri Lankan style, housing ashes of the Buddha.