Wat Suthat

Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchaworamahawihan
Main sanctuaryin the night
Religion
Affiliation	Buddhism
Location
Location	146Bamrung Mueang Rd,Wat Ratchabophit,Phra Nakhon,Bangkok
Country	Thailand
Shown within Bangkok
Geographic coordinates	13.751028°N 100.501004°E/13.751028; 100.501004
Architecture
Founder	KingRama I
Completed	1847/48

Wat Suthat Thepwararam(Thai:วัดสุทัศนเทพวราราม,Thai pronunciation:[wátsu.tʰáttʰêːp.pʰá.wáʔ.raː.raːm]) is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a royal temple of the first grade, one of ten such temples in Bangkok (23 in Thailand). Construction was begun by KingRama Iin 1807. In the beginning, it was initially called "Wat Maha Sutthawat" (วัดมหาสุทธาวาส) and was located in acombretumgrove. Further construction and decorations were carried out by KingRama IIwho helped carve the wooden doors, but the temple was not completed until the reign of KingRama IIIin 1847 or 1848. This temple contains theBuddha imagePhra Sri Sakyamuni(Thai:พระศรีศากยมุนี;RTGS:Phra Si Sakkayamuni) which have been moved fromSukhothai Province.At the lower terrace of the base, there are 28 Chinesepagodaswhich symbolize the28 Buddhasborn on this earth. Wat Suthat also contains Phra Buddha Trilokachet (Thai:พระพุทธไตรโลกเชษฐ์;RTGS:Phra Phuttha Trai Lokkachet) in theubosot(ordination hall) and Phra Buddha Setthamuni (Thai:พระพุทธเศรษฐมุนี;RTGS:Phra Phuttha Setthamuni) in thesala kan parian(meeting hall).

In 2005, the temple was submitted toUNESCOfor consideration as a futureWorld Heritage Site.

Preta of Wat Suthat

A mural depicting a preta and procession of monks in the ordination hall

The temple dates back to the beginning of theRattanakosin Kingdom.At the time, it was said thatpreta(Thai:เปรต,pret), a kind ofundeadin Buddhist andSiamesebelief often depicted as a tallhungry ghostwith a thin body and a scary howling cry, appeared in front of the temple at night. One mural in theordination hallof this temple, also shows painting of one preta lying to feed water from themonks.This gave rise to the saying"Pret Wat Suthat"(Thai:เปรตวัดสุทัศน์), often paired with"Raeng Wat Saket"(Thai:แร้งวัดสระเกศ,"vultures ofWat Saket"). TheSao Chingcha,or Giant Swing, a towering Hindu structure stands in front of the temple.

Gallery

• 
  Phra Si Sakyamuni is enshrined in thevihara,also known for its exquisite murals.
• 
  Phra Buddha Trilokachet
• 
  Vihara
• 
  Interior of the vihara
• 
  Phraubosotor Ordination hall
• 
  Interior of the Phra ubosot
• 
• 
• 
  Wat Suthat (left) withGiant Swing(right)

See also

• List of Buddhist temples in Thailand
• DevasathanHindu temple nearby

External links

• A brief introduction