By Lai Pei-xuan | Photos by STEPHEN TSAI
When you visit Thailand, you can take a small boat up the Chao Phraya River, enjoy the beautiful scenery along the riverbanks, and catch a glimpse of Bangkok’s iconic landmark — Wat Arun — reflected shimmeringly on the water. This enchanting ancient structure has earned the nickname “the Eiffel Tower of Thailand.” Its silhouette at sunset often graces Thai postcards. It is also the oldest building along the Chao Phraya River and the most visited temple in the area.
Wat Arun (วัดอรุณ) boasts magnificent architectural features and a long, rich cultural history, as if all its stories are preserved within this very structure. The temple was built to honor King Taksin the Great, also known as King Taksin the Morning Star, and is the largest Mahayana-style stupa in Thailand. Legend has it that King Taksin was the only ethnic Chinese emperor in Thai history. His father had traveled from Guangdong to Thailand, married locally, and fathered Taksin. During the Ayutthaya period, Taksin drove out the Burmese army and led his troops to establish Thailand’s third dynasty.
Located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, Wat Arun is also known as the “Temple of Dawn” or “Temple of the Rising Sun.” Its central Mahayana stupa stands 67 meters tall, flanked by four smaller Khmer-style towers at the corners and four square towers on each side. Four stairways lead to the top of the main stupa, which is adorned with colorful broken ceramic pieces that shimmer brilliantly in the sunlight. The stupa is also decorated with statues of monkeys, Ganas (divine warriors), and Apsaras (heavenly nymphs).
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