Wat Pho existed even before Bangkok was founded. This is where General Chakri proclaimed himself king and took the name of Rama I. Under his orders, the ancient monastery was expanded.
The monastery is famous for its temple with a magnificent statue of the Sleeping Buddha (Buddha waiting for nirvana). awaiting nirvana). The 46 metre high statue is made of brick, plastered and covered in with gold. The mother-of-pearl inlay on the statue's feet symbolises the 108 signs, that distinguish the Buddha from mere mortals. There are four large chedi built in honour in honour of the first four kings of the Chakri dynasty, contain fragments of the Buddha's body (relics).
Next to the temple is a library building that houses ancient manuscripts.
Wat Pho is a famous centre for public education. On the walls of the on the walls of a small medical pavilion you can see ancient stone "visual aids" on various branches of knowledge. on the walls of the small medical pavilion. For example, an image of the human body with acupuncture points labelled on it. Also on the territory of the monastery you can find small stone slides with figures of people in different Thai massage poses. massage.
Since 1960, Wat Pho has been home to Bangkok's most famous massage school.
