The official name of the temple is Wat Phrasiratana Sasadaram, and it is also called Wat Emerald Buddha. At the entrance of the temple are two bronze lions brought from Cambodia by King Rama I. The base of the temple is decorated with bronze and gilded garud (half-bird half-human) figures, and the outer doors and windows of the temple are decorated with mother-of-pearl patterns. The inner walls of the temple are covered with paintings from the time of Rama III (19th century).
Inside the temple on a high pedestal is the most famous image of Buddha - a small statue (66 cm high) carved from solid jadeite (XV century). There are several legends about its origin. According to one of them - the statue was covered with gold plates, according to another - it was inside another, clay statue. The only thing that is known is that the statue was found in 1431 in one of the temples of Chiang Rai and after a long journey fell into the hands of King Rama I.
During the year, the statue changes its robes several times, and this ceremony itself has a deep symbolic meaning and is presided over by the ruling monarch or prince.
Please note - shoes must be removed when entering the temple. Clothing for visiting the temple and the Royal Palace should also be properly selected: closed shoes, shorts, cleavage, miniskirts, open sundresses or dresses are not allowed.
