Engraved on the ten Baht coin, Wat Arun - namely the Dawn Temple - is one of the most distinctive views of Bangkok.

Location

Officially, the temple is in Thonburi, the former Thai capital located across the Chao Praya River from Bangkok.

Reaching the Temple

It is possible to reach Wat Arun with one of the ferry boats crossing the Chao Praya River from the Tha Chang Pier near Wat Phra Kaeo – the Grand Palace - or Tha Tian Pier near Wat Pho. Overland, it can be reached with buses 83, 19 and 57.

Timing

Despite the temple’s name, the best time for a visit is during the late afternoon, when the dusk light creates stunning effects on its colorful pillars. The best place to see it is across the river or from one of the boats traveling along it.

Coated with Porcelain

The unique look of the temple is due to the millions of pieces of colorful Chinese porcelain coating it; the story says that broken porcelain brought as ballast by merchant ships in the 17th century was used to cover its exterior.

Structure

Wat Arun's central Khmer
styled prang (column) - which at a height of 82 metres is Thailand’s tallest - rests on three levels of terraces and is surrounded by four smaller corner prangs, intermingled with four mondops. Below it, next to the riverside are six pavilions made of green granite and including landing bridges.

On the first terrace, are designs of giants and monkeys encircling the central prang, along with images of other Thai mythological creatures. The second terrace has an exquisite pavilion, with four statues showing events in the life of Buddha. Near the smaller prangs is an Ordination Hall with an important Buddha statue placed by King Rama II. The third terrace offers a view of the river and the surrounding area. It is possible to climb up the terraces and have good views of the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok across it.

The Emerald Buddha

After the Emerald Buddha was brought from Laos and before it was put in the new Grand Palace across the river, it was kept within Wat Arun.

Baptizing Bangkok

Wat Arun was built during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Back then it was named Wat Makok - the Olive Temple; the small village across the river was named after it, and even after the modern Krung Thep became the kingdom’s capital, many people still refer to it as Bangkok ("ban" means "village" in Thai – the name got a bit mispronounced during time).

The "Temple of the Dawn" is a Bangkok landmark and probably my favourite wat. Dramatically jutting into the air from its location on the Thonburi banks of the Chao Phraya River, the central Khmer-style prang has been elongated to give it an appearance that is unmistakably Thai. Four smaller prangs of similar design surround the main spire. The name comes from Aruna, the Indian god of the dawn.

All five spires are covered with broken pieces of porcelain that were used as ballast by Chinese ships that formerly came to Thailand. Steep steps lead halfway up one side of the main prang to a point where there are good views of the river and surrounding areas, including Wat Pra Kaeo and The Grand Palace. These towers, although best known, are only part of Wat Arun. It also contains narrow lanes, elegant, old white buildings, shrines, pools of turtles, and two giants.

It is believed that after fighting his way out of Ayutthaya, which was besieged by a Burmese army at the time, King Taksin arrived at this temple just as dawn was breaking and decided to build a palace next door. He later had the temple renovated, added the huge prang, and renamed it Wat Chaeng. Many locals still call this temple by this name. During his reign (known as the Thonburi Period), Wat Chaeng was the chief temple, and it once enshrined the famous Emerald Buddha and another important Buddha image, the Phra Bang, both of which had been removed from Vientiane.

Even though the Thai capital was transferred across the river to Bangkok, the temple has flourished throughout the Rattanakosin Period (since 1782). The beauty of the architecture, the location and the fine craftsmanship declare its status as one of the most outstanding temples in Thailand.

The towers of Wat Arun are built of brick covered with stucco. The decorations are unique; thousands of pieces of multicolored Chinese porcelain. In niches in the central tower are green figures of the God Indra seated on Erawan, the traditional Thai three-headed elephant.

In my view, the main prangs probably really look better from a distance than close up but the grounds are pleasant and peaceful, with good murals and a main Buddha image supposedly designed by King Rama II. The mythical guardians here are also quite impressive, though very similar to those at Wat Phra Kaew. Don’t miss taking a photograph from the river as you approach the temple.

The interior of the temple’s bot is also worth exploring. The murals picturing Prince Siddhartha encountering examples of birth, old age, sickness, and death are particularly impressive.

The wat is open daily from 7:30am to 5:30pm; admission is 20 baht. It can be reached from the Bangkok side of the river by taking the ferry from Tha Tien Pier to the Wat Arun Pier. The ferry crossing costs 3 baht. Buses that go near Tha Tien are ordinary buses 1, 25, 44, 47, 62 and 91 which stop on Maharat Road.

Towards the late 18th century King Taksin established Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, as the seat of royal power and worship, and home to the Emerald Buddha. After the accession of a new king the royal focus moved to Wat Phra Kaew, however, Wat Arun remained an important religious and historical site.

The central praang is approximately 80 metres high and forms a recognisable landmark on the riverside. You can walk up the lower tiers (the steps are quite steep so take care) and see in closer detail the fierce looking statues—Kinnari (half bird and half human) and Yakshas (demons)—which support the upper levels and also the Chinese porcelain that was used to decorate the structure. Four smaller but still richly decorated prangs surround this central pillar.

Get close up to the central prang and other structures in Wat Arun and you will see that they are highly decorated with pieces of porcelain made into different patterns. The porcelain was brought to Bangkok as ballast in Chinese trading ships.

Although the central prang does dominate the complex there is also a wonderful courtyard nearby looking like the sort of landscape where a martial arts fight would take place! Under a rectangular and blissfully shady veranda sit a large number of gold coloured Buddhas, and in front of this are numerous wonderful statues of monks, beasts, and warriors on horseback. In the middle is a beautifully decorated pavilion—not open when we were there—and a fine golden Buddha in another shrine. There are also some interesting views towards the central prang from the courtyard and the terrace outside the shrine.

The whole complex, with its great views of the river, is a wonderful place to wander around. The anticipation as you cross the river and the prang looms bigger in your view will certainly be borne out by your visit.

I found Wat Arun one of the most impressive Wats (temples) in Bangkok. It is located very near the Grand Palace, on the other sife of the Chao Praya river. It is dedicated to the Indian God Aruna, and the craftmanship of this building is stunning. When you stand below the 82-meter prang (Khmer-style tower), the building is overpowering to your senses.

Wat Arun, or the Temple of the Dawn, was very different in style from the rest of the temples we visited in Bangkok. The wat is very famous, and its image is published on many items throughout Thailand. It is centered around one great prang (a pointed tower) with four smaller ones around it. You are allowed to walk partway up the main prang. The light color of the structure is unique to this wat and incredibly beautiful. There are ceramic pieces everywhere in the building. It’s difficult to describe, but something you should see for yourself.

When we visited in the early morning, the grounds were incredibly peaceful, though that is apparently normal for this temple. While it was beautiful at dawn, it is even more popular to view this site at dusk. While it's fun to see the temple up close and climb around the structure, the best views are actually from outside, on the river, where you can take in the whole complex. The river ferry is incredibly cheap and gives a gorgeous view of this famous structure.