Wat Phra Si Mahathat (1st Class Royal Temple)

Construction began under the government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, and was completed on 24 June 1942, the tenth anniversary of the 1932 revolution. Its religious significance expanded when a Thai mission to India secured a Buddha relic from the Dharmarajika Stupa at Taxila, branches of the sacred Bodhi tree from Bodh Gaya and soil from important Buddhist sites, which were brought back and enshrined here; the temple was consequently renamed Wat Phra Si Mahathat, meaning “Temple of the Sacred Relics.” Its architecture also deliberately departs from conventional royal-temple forms, reflecting the ideals of the modern state. Today, the temple represents a rare intersection of Theravada Buddhism, international Buddhist heritage, modern Thai nation-building and constitutional history, making it especially valuable for understanding how Buddhism continued to function as a source of national identity in 20th-century Thailand.

 

Wat Borom Niwat (2nd Class Royal Temple)

Founded in 1834 by King Mongkut while he was still a monk, it was conceived as an aranyawasi, or forest-dwelling monastery, complementing Wat Bowonniwet as a city-based khamwasi monastery within the emerging Thammayut reform tradition. The temple is particularly renowned for its Buddhist murals by Khrua In Khong, one of the leading artists of Rama IV’s reign, who introduced Western-style linear perspective and more naturalistic scenes into Thai religious painting while portraying Buddhist teachings and cosmological subjects. This combination of strict monastic practice, intellectual reform and innovative art makes Wat Borom Niwat an important window into the transformation of Thai Buddhism during the 19th century. Its significance extends beyond architecture, representing the period when Siamese monks and intellectuals were re-examining scripture, discipline and Buddhist teaching while the country was increasingly engaging with the wider world.

 

Wat Debsirindrawas (2nd Class Royal Temple)

Commissioned by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1876 in memory of his mother, Queen Debsirindra. Its substantial ubosot features marble flooring, richly gilded doors and windows and elaborately carved royal motifs, while the temple houses important Buddha images, including Phra Nirantarai, associated with King Rama IV. The complex also has a remarkable royal funerary dimension: in 1893, Rama V ordered a royal crematorium (Meru) to be established here for members of the royal family whose funerals were not conducted at Sanam Luang. The adjacent Debsirin School, founded by Rama V in 1885, further reflects his broader vision of expanding modern education during Siam’s transformation. Wat Debsirindrawas is therefore significant as a living Buddhist monastery and as a place where royal commemoration, Buddhist funerary traditions, education and national history converge.

 

Wat Traimit (2nd Class Royal Temple)

The temple received its present name in 1940 and royal status in 1956, but its fame rests primarily on the extraordinary Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon, the world’s largest solid-gold sculpture according to Guinness World Records. The approximately 3-metre-high, 5.5-tonne Sukhothai-style Buddha was concealed beneath plaster for centuries until the covering broke during its relocation on 25 May 1955, unexpectedly revealing the gold image within. Today it is housed in the Phra Maha Mondop, which also incorporates exhibitions on the Golden Buddha and the history of Bangkok’s Chinatown. Wat Traimit therefore carries significance on several levels: as an important Buddhist pilgrimage site, a remarkable example of Sukhothai Buddhist artistry, and a powerful symbol of the long-standing Thai-Chinese cultural relationship that helped shape the economic, social and religious identity of Bangkok.

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​Chinese Heritage Centre

Exhibits explore the arrival and settlement of Chinese communities, their occupations, commercial activities and contribution to the growth of Bangkok, allowing visitors to place the surrounding Yaowarat streetscape within a much longer historical narrative. Its location within a major Buddhist temple is particularly significant because Chinese commercial, religious and charitable institutions traditionally developed alongside one another, with temples and shrines serving not only spiritual functions but also important community roles. The centre therefore helps explain the evolution of Chinese identity within Thai society, including the preservation of language, customs, foodways, religious practices and community traditions while successive generations became increasingly integrated into Thailand.