Every time I take a bus from my home to Sanam Luang to enjoy my time in the old town, it always passes a huge building which looks like a Thai temple or a structure at the Grand Palace once it enters Ratchadamnoen avenue. The building has multiple shiny golden high roofs shooting up in the sky, high above the modern building nearby.
The building is called “Loha Prasat”. It is a part of Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan, or Wat Ratchanatda in short.
I finally visited this place after passing by many times and I have to say the history of this place blows my mind. Here is what I find interesting about this place as well as other things around the temple.
Visit Loha Prasat: The Last Iron Monastery On Earth.
This spectacular structure was built in 1846 during the reign of King Rama III. Loha Prasat was built as a place for monks to practice their daily routine. It is a form of Buddhist religious site since ancient times.
What makes Loha Prasat special from other buildings inside the Buddhist temple is the form of the structure, a perfect square layout stacking high up to the sky with functioning space inside. This kind of Buddhist religious site only exists in 3 places around the world, but the one in Thailand is the only place that is still functioning.
Loha Prasat in Bangkok has 5 floors, and each floor has its own functions.
The first floor is the place for meditation. Here you can find multiple seatings for meditation around the corner. There is also an exhibition area where you can study the history of Loha Prasat as well as the history of the temple.
At the center of the room, there is a stair where you can go up to the upper floor of this magnificent building.
The second floor is the library area. Here you can sit around and read anything.
The third and fourth floor is the place for meditation. On the upper floor, the space is getting narrower and the weather is no longer hot. Sometimes I think this could be an imitation of walking up to heaven.
At the top floor, here is the place to store the Buddha’s relic and enjoy the panoramic view of Bangkok from Ratchadamnoen avenue. Here you can see many places such as the Golden Mountain as well as the building inside the commercial district of Bangkok.
Explore Magnificent Mural Paintings and Buddha Statues Inside The Ubosot and Viharn
Down to the ground level, there are also two other buildings beside the Loha Prasat which is also interesting.
The big building, which is surrounded by the Sema boundary stone, is the Ubosot. Here you can find the huge Buddha statue in Maravijaya posture inside.
This Buddha statue was also built during the reign of King Rama III with copper, which is why the color of the statue is not shiny golden gold even though the surface is covered by gold.
The mural painting at this Ubosot is also very interesting. It depicts a picture of the sky in which there are many angels there as well as some special characters in the scene which represent planets in the solar system in Thai style.
The smaller building at the side of the Ubosot is Viharn. Here you can find another Buddha statue in calming the ocean posture with warrior costume, which is rare to find. Feel free to spend some time here to appreciate the beauty of the statue, pray or meditate.
The wall decoration inside Viharn is also great. You can see a mixed belief of Buddhism and Hinduism here.
On the wall behind the Buddha statue, you will see the Erawan elephant, a white creature with elephant heads, standing under the structure which looks like a throne hall in Thai arts. This represents the Indra god in Hinduism, who is the king of heaven in Thai context.
Relax at Maha Jesadabodin Plaza
In front of the temple, along Ratchadamnoen avenue, there is a small green open space with benches to rest your feet after a long day of walking.
There is a statue of King Rama III in this plaza as well as a structure of a throne hall in case of a visit by the royal family.
Opening Hours
Wat Ratchanadda opens everyday from 8:00 until 17:00. The temple may temporarily close in case of a visit by the royal family or having a royal ceremony.
Entrance Fee
To enter the temple, Ubosot, Viharn as well as Maha Jesadabodin Plaza, there is no entrance fee. However, if you would like to donate money to the temple, feel free to donate via any donation box around the area.
To enter Loha Prasat, there is a small fee to support the maintenance of the place. You can pay at the entrance of Loha Prasat.
- Thai citizen: 0 THB per person
- Non-Thai citizen: 20 THB per person
Restrooms inside the temple are not free. Please check the price at the front in case you want to use it. The machine accepts only coins.
How to Get There?
If you plan to visit Wat Ratchanaddaram, there are many interesting places nearby.
I recommend reading our Sao Chingcha article to find more information about the other interesting places nearby and the best way to travel here.
