Wat Benchamabophit Marble Temple In Bangkok Thailand

The temple was made of italian marble. Wat Benchamabophit was built in 1899 by Prince Narai, half-brother of Rama V. Thailand's current king spent his days as a monk here before his coronation. Unlike the older temple complexes in Bangkok, the Marble Temple has no central wihaan or chedi. Instead, it has many smaller buildings that combine European influences (such as stained-glass windows) with traditional Thai religious architecture.

There is a marble courtyard and two large singhas guarding the entrace to the bot. The main bot contains a golden Buddha statue against an illuminated blue backdrop.Beyond the main bot is a cloister containing over 50 bronze Buddha images in many different styles, representing various Buddhist countries and regions. Behind the cloister is a large Bodhi tree, bought from Bodhgaya (where the Buddha found Enlightenment) as a gift for King Chulalongkorn.