Temple of the Golden Mountain in Bangkok The Temple of the Golden Mountain (Wat Saket) is a great place to watch the sunsets! Ticket prices

What is Wat Saket?

Wat Saket on the Golden Mountain is located in the Old City of Bangkok at Phra Nakhon. This Buddhist temple is a famous landmark of the capital, which enjoys the constant love of the townspeople and the admiration of tourists from all over the world.

Bangkok became the capital of Thailand in the 18th century, and the Saket Temple already existed then, the exact time of its first construction is not known. It has been repeatedly restored and reconstructed, but this, of course, is not a remake.

The most interesting thing here is the Golden Pagoda or Stupa, where Buddhists worship their gods. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century on a pre-poured mountain 60 meters high. And the temple itself is 16 meters high.

To climb to Wat Saket on the Golden Mountain, you need to overcome 318 steps, believe me, it's not at all difficult. And after passing these steps and going to the front doors, you will be rewarded with a magnificent panorama of the capital of Thailand.

What can you see at Wat Saket?

The dome of this Buddhist stupa is covered with thin gold foil at the direction of King Rama III, it looks extremely beautiful in the sun. Climbing the stairs, you will see bells and a gong. It is believed that striking the gong will bring you good luck.

The territory of the temple is very well-groomed, there are many tropical trees, among which there are statues of Buddha and animals, you can even see a live elephant. On a hot day, close to Wat Saket, you can easily find the much-needed coolness and relaxation.

Going inside, you will immediately see a statue of a reclining Buddha, and around it - several smaller figures. There is also a statue of the Emerald Buddha, a copy from Wat Phra Kaew. You can pray, meditate, or just think, the situation is favorable for this.

In the very center of the Golden Pagoda, there is a shrine brought from India, enclosed in a small sarcophagus. It is not shown to tourists, as to those uninitiated in the mysteries of Buddhism. The sarcophagus contains a piece of Buddha's relics, which all Buddhists worship.

It is interesting that in modern Buddhist temples, sound speakers are installed, from where a voice pours out, reading the Holy Books of this religion. Locals come here to pray together and celebrate family holidays.

The inner walls of the pagoda are covered with paintings telling about the earthly life and earthly sufferings of the Buddha, his path to enlightenment, which he eventually achieved. Such paintings can often be seen on Thai postcards.

A souvenir shop is organized inside the temple, so you can always buy some trinket as a keepsake of visiting this extraordinary place and remember your journey to fabulously beautiful Thailand again at home.

There are many more religious buildings around the pagoda, because this is a large temple complex. These buildings are built in traditional Thai style and are intended for worship and domestic needs.

It is worth noting that a century ago this temple specialized in cremating the local poor. Today it does not fulfill this function. People come here to pray, meditate, celebrate holidays, incl. and funeral. Indeed, in Thailand, this is a family celebration.

How to get to Wat Saket?

The temple is located in the old part of the city, there is no metro here. But you can take a taxi or public transport. Buses, tuk-tuk, river trams and ferries run here. If you wish, you can walk to Wat Saket. Close by is Wat Ratchanadda, the Royal Palace and Wat Po.

How much does it cost to visit the temple?

Wat Saket is open to tourists from 07-30 to 17-30.

The entrance to it is completely free, like to any Buddhist temple. But it is customary to bring monetary donations, which should be put into special piggy banks at the entrance. It is forbidden to give money to monks, it is forbidden by their faith.

What should be considered?

In addition to the well-known rule that you can come to a Buddhist temple only in closed clothes, here they also ask to take off your shoes when entering a stupa. This is the announcement on the front door. But all this is not necessary. The monks themselves easily walk in shoes.

Remember that for a Buddhist monk, money is a great evil, far away from enlightenment. Like a woman, he cannot touch them. This rule is strict. Therefore, do not try to foist even a trifle on the monk, it will offend him.

Numerous ones allow you to get acquainted with one of the oldest religions on the planet - Buddhism. Each temple is a real work of art. A special atmosphere reigns inside, the architecture is simply mesmerizing, and most importantly, the history of many of them goes back more than one century. The temple of the Golden Mountain deserves special attention. It has a height of 76 meters and before the skyscrapers appeared in the capital, it was the tallest building in the city.

It is no coincidence that the temple will receive its name. It is located on a mountain that was once artificially formed. Throughout the history of the temple, the mountain subsided slightly due to the weakness of the soil. Almost immediately, measures were taken to strengthen its foundation, which is why now you can see the concrete walls surrounding the hill from all sides.

In order to reach the top of the temple complex, you need to overcome 318 steps. At first glance, it may seem that this figure is exorbitant, but in reality, no special physical preparation is required from you to get up. The journey takes literally 10-15 minutes.

The ascent will take place along spiral staircases that seem to encircle the hill. There are two of them: one is oriented towards the ascent, the other - towards the descent. But in fact, no one ever watches which ladder should be used in a particular case.

On the way, you will come across a small cafe where you can stop for a short while for a refreshing drink and admire the views of the surrounding area. The first part of the route goes through the jungle, which gives the area some zest.

A little further along the way, numerous bells will begin to meet and, the most interesting thing, everyone can ring any of them. Thais believe in good and evil spirits. And if they try to appease the good with all kinds of donations, then they drive away the evil with loud sounds, including bell ringing.

Temple territory

The territory of the temple complex is quite large and spacious. Tourists are interested not only in the mountain itself, but also in the gilded pagoda located at its top. Climbing to the very top, you will have a beautiful view of the capital's buildings and the Ratanokosin Island. In the room at the base of the pagoda, there is another small staircase that leads visitors to the observation deck.

Another feature of the temple is that part of the ashes of the Buddha is kept on its territory. At one time he was brought from India. The ashes are placed in a golden sarcophagus. It was installed in the central part of the room, located at the foot of the pagoda. To get to the sarcophagus, you need to follow the narrow corridors. For convenience, pointers are installed inside. In November, a religious festival is held on the territory of the temple, for which pilgrims come from all over the Kingdom.

In addition to the pagoda, there is another structure at the base of the mountain - a temple. Perhaps it is not as large-scale as on the territory of other temple complexes, but at the same time it deserves attention from visitors.

There are benches for resting near the temple. Always take off your shoes before entering the building.

Ticket price and opening hours

You can visit the temple any day, during daylight hours. Its doors are open from 07:30 to 17:30. Entry to the site is free, but donations are welcome at the complex. At the base of the pagoda, you will see a small box, into which you can put any amount. It can be either 10 or 100 baht, all at the discretion of the visitors.

How to get there?

The temple is located in the historical part of the city, near the artificial island of Ratanokosin. If you are on, then it will not be difficult to reach it on foot. From other areas, you will have to use public transport. The most convenient way to travel is to use a taxi or city bus. The overground metro is inconvenient, since the nearest station is two kilometers away from the temple.

If you decide to take a shuttle bus, then you need to take number 8, 47 or 37. They make a stop almost near the temple. The fare will depend on the distance, but, as a rule, it varies between 6-23 baht. Whether any of the marked routes pass near your hotel can be checked at the reception.

If your hotel is located in the Siam or Pratunam area, then the temple can be reached by water bus. You will need to get off at the Phan Fa Lilat terminus. The ticket price is 13 baht.

Temple of the Golden Mount on the map

On this map, I have marked the exact location of this temple.

In order to enjoy your visit to the temple to the fullest, try to come to it as early as possible, while there is still no main flow of tourists. Do not forget that to visit any religious site there must be an appropriate appearance. Don't wear beach or flashy outfits. Make sure that your shoulders and knees are covered in advance.

The Temple of the Golden Mountain or Wat Saket is a great place in the center of Bangkok to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. We arrived here in the evening from the business center of the city by boat (which is still an attraction :-)) along the klong (canal) in order to meet the sunset. We were a little late, but still caught the last rays of the setting sun and looked at the evening city from above!

Temple of the Golden Mount Wat Saket

The Wat Saket Temple in Bangkok is one of the oldest temples in the city. Initially, it was built on the ground, but they did not calculate a little, and the ground under the building subsided. Then it was decided to erect an artificial mountain with a height of about 80 meters, and a little later, an 18-meter golden stupa was built. Hence the other name of this place - the Temple of the Golden Mount (Golden Mount).

This place has long remained the highest point in Bangkok, and is still revered by the Thais, thanks to several Buddhist relics found in Nepal, and later found here.

In general, of course, this is not a mountain, but a hill, and the ascent presents no difficulty. At the beginning of the stairs there is an elephant figure:

At the beginning, the ascent goes through the thickets of trees and bushes, the Buddha is hiding and waiting for you to achieve enlightenment

But this is a very special thing! Any modern instrument and high-class technique can envy such bass. Everything inside already vibrates))

Along the way, there are rest areas, benches, and, of course, bells. Moreover, the "tongue" is made of ordinary fittings)) But it sounds great!

On the way up we met our old acquaintances from Mezhdurechensk, with whom we waited the night at the Irkutsk airport, then met on Khaosan Road, and now to Wat Saket! It's amazing how tight Bangkok is :-) Only 2 days here, and you meet already acquaintances.

Evening falls on Bangkok ... From above you can see many. In the foreground - other buildings of the Temple of the Golden Mountain, in the far - the modern districts of the city (Pratumnam, Silom and others).

View of Bangkok from the Golden Mountain

Two stairs, as it were, surround the temple, you can climb any, we went along the near left

A small photo session of everyone with everyone))

By the way, if you are in Chiang Mai, go to - from there you can also see the city from above.

Anna the beautiful and the city of angels Bangkok

Unfortunately, we did not take into account that the church closes at 17.30, so we were not allowed to go to the very top, but they were not kicked out of this place, to the very bottom.

Since it was already late, there was no one left for the people except us. We stand, absorbing the sounds of the big city, the smell of eternal summer, the calmness and serenity of this place ...

Prayers on Buddhist Bells

But now it has become completely dark, here in Thailand it is getting dark somehow quickly, they have not yet got used to it after Russia. It's time to go down.

Another temple on the territory of the complex

As soon as we sat down to rest on the bench below, we met such an inhabitant of these places:

I repeat, it is better to come here either early in the morning or late in the evening, to look at the city at dawn or dusk, as in. A very pleasant quiet place in the middle of a bustling metropolis. I highly recommend stopping by!

Temple of the Golden Mount Wat Saket - useful information

Working hours: from 07.30 to 17.30

Entrance: is free

How to get there?

And the skytrain was not carried out here, so from the center it is best by boat, as I said, or by taxi or bus.

Walking from the street is also very close: past the Monument of Democracy, across the bridges, if you see a fire station, then you are already very close :-)

Here is a map for better orientation.

There are many interesting sights in Bangkok. But one of them is special for Buddhists. This is a temple, better known as the Temple of the Golden Mountain, which is a man-made hill with a golden chedi on top. Its name suggests that it is located on a hill and offers excellent views of the city. Wat Saket has large trees and traditional Buddhist structures such as the main chapel, initiation hall and library. They were built during the period of power (1350-1767) and then restored during the reign of King Rama I (1782-1809). Buddhist services are held every day in the 58-meter chedi containing Buddha particles. The temple also hosts an annual traditional fair in November, which continues throughout Thailand's Loy Krathong week.

Temple of the Golden Mount - Wat Saket

Built on an artificial man-made hill in the historic center of Bangkok, Temple of the Golden Mountain is one of the most famous and sacred places of worship during the weeklong pilgrimage in November. To get to the top, you need to climb about 300 steps along the stairs that encircle the Golden Mountain. This path has good coverage, so it is quite easy to climb up the hill. However, at noon and during the hottest summer months, when the shade does not save you from the scorching sun rays and hot air, it is more difficult to go to the top of Wat Saket than usual.

Interesting fact. The Wat Saket temple in Bangkok was for a long time the tallest structure in the city (76 meters), until it was surpassed by the Wat Arun temple after another rebuilding (79 meters).

Briefly about the temple of Wat Saket

• Before starting the way up to the temple, you will see an unusual cemetery, which is located at the foot Golden mountains... Placed in the shade of overgrown trees and covered with lush vegetation, slabs and sarcophagi from afar resemble ghosts. A possible reason for this is the amazing story of Wat Saket, which at the end of the 18th century served as a capital crematorium and a mass burial place for more than 60 thousand victims of the plague that broke out in.
• The temple was destroyed during the reign of King Rama the Third, and then rebuilt by order of Rama the Fourth, and the golden spire again began to proudly rise above the city.
• Closer to the top of the hill, you will see a whole wall of bells, and from the observation deck of the temple, a wonderful panorama of the historical part of Bangkok opens up, and the whole city can be seen at a glance.

Every year in November, Wat Saket hosts a huge temple fair, which opens after the annual ceremony of worshiping Buddha particles. During this period, the golden chedi stands wrapped in bright red cloth, and the opening of the weekly fair begins with a procession of lighted candles stretching from the foot to the very top of the Golden Mountain.

This is a rare opportunity to visit a wide fair in a Buddhist temple, held in accordance with ancient traditions that have survived in an amazing way and have come down to us from the depths of time. A distinctive feature of this fair is the many colored lanterns everywhere, and an incredible number of decorative flags. Here you can buy food for all tastes, as well as participate in fairground games that bring the Golden Mountain to life and make it a center of attraction for all people. Crowds of pilgrims, fair visitors from all over and just curious tourists fill all the free space on the territory of the Wat Saket temple from early morning until midnight during the fair week.

If you decide to head to the Temple of the Golden Mountain in Bangkok after sunset during the celebrations, be prepared to queue up from the Rattanakosin Hotel. So take it up as early as possible.

I also recommend taking a walk around Bangkok on the way to Wat Saket and finding out how this bustling Asian metropolis lives. It is interesting to read some of them beforehand, and then notice them while walking around the city.

It is best to view Wat Saket in the morning or late in the evening, when it is not very hot outside. Compared to another temple, Wat Arun, there are always a lot of tourists here, but in general, the atmosphere is more calm and peaceful. A great place to hide from the hustle and bustle of the bustling city of Bangkok.

Information about Wat Saket:

• Working hours: from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm
• Visit cost: free, but you can leave a small donation
• Where is it located and how to get there. Wat Saket (Temple of the Golden Mountain) is located in the center of Bangkok, a short walk from the Democracy Monument, which in turn is located near Khao San Road.

Video about Wat Saket:

Our advice: Many people prefer to look at Bangkok from the Bayok Sky skyscraper, but in our opinion Wat Saket is a much more romantic place to view the panorama of the city.

Map

What else to see in Bangkok?

Cheap flights to Bangkok

If you want to visit the capital of Thailand - Bangkok, then the most convenient way is to buy a ticket and fly to Suvarnabhumi International Airport. There are direct flights from Moscow to Bangkok several times a day. We recommend looking at prices for Flights to Bangkok on the site

The Temple of the Golden Mountain rises in the historical part of Bangkok near the Rattanakosin island on a 60-meter hill artificially constructed in the bend of the Chaopraya River. Before the era of skyscrapers, it was the highest point of the urban landscape on the east coast (Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn, 81 m high, holds the palm on the west coast). Wat Saket is marked as Golden Mount on English signs and maps.

History

The first mentions of the temple in the annals date back to the beginning of the 17th century, when the city had not yet become the capital of Siam. On the territory of the vast temple complex, there was not only a sanctuary, but also a crematorium for burning the dead townspeople of ordinary origin. During the cholera epidemic in 1817, 30,000 bodies were burned here.

Wat Saket has been rebuilt several times. The first king of the Chakri dynasty, which has ruled since 1782 and until now, ordered the restoration of an ancient religious building of the Ayutthaya era. During the reign of Rama III, a chedi was built. However, the architects made a mistake, and the swampy ground sagged. Rama IV, better known in world politics as Mongkut, ordered the construction of a mound with a diameter of 500 m and a height of 60 m, personifying the sacred Mount Meru - a sacred symbol of Buddhism that embodies Hindu-Buddhist ideas about the structure of the Universe. The embankment was reinforced with bricks and logs made of teak trees.

The stupa, built at the beginning of the 19th century, contains a sarcophagus brought from Nepal with a particle of the ashes of Gautama Shakyamuni. In 1897, the relic was presented to Rama V by the Viceroy of India, British Foreign Secretary Lord Curzon.

According to legend, the body of the founder of the religion was cremated, and the ashes from the funeral pyre were divided among the disciples.

Every day, thousands of believers come to worship the shrine, ask for heavenly intercession and pray. The tents sell flower garlands for offerings to deities and sets of three incense sticks: one for Buddha, the second for the Dharma principle, and the third for the Sangha Buddhist community.

In the prayer halls there are numerous copies of the Emerald Buddha (the original is on display at the Phra Keo temple) in different robes and the Buddha of the days of the week - 8 in a row, since in the Thai calendar Wednesday is divided into time before noon and after.

Tourists are surprised by the wax figures of famous monks, made with such anatomical precision that they cannot be distinguished from living people.

On the holiday of Loy Krathong, celebrated on the day of the November full moon, solemn services are held. A procession of pilgrims ascends to the top with burning candles in their hands. The procession is accompanied by chants and prayers. The pagoda is draped with red linen.

Layout and interior

A road leads to the cult building, to the right of which there is a canopy to protect from the sun, and the sidewalk under it is covered with a covering imitating a green lawn. The base of the hill is surrounded by spiral staircases. One of them (labeled "up") is for ascent, and the other is for descent. Unlike most temples in Thailand, there is no need to take off your shoes, which is announced by the corresponding announcement. Keep your shoulders and knees covered. There are no restrictions on photo and video shooting.

A miniature replica of the Saket Temple stands on stone at the entrance. The abundance of lush tropical greenery, reminiscent of jungle thickets, makes you forget that the life of the metropolis is in full swing nearby. A quiet place immerses you in an atmosphere of tranquility and tranquility. Flowering bushes of jasmine and plumeria fill the air with delicious aromas. Among the plants are sculptures of animals and birds, and man-made waterfalls murmur.

In the middle of the path is a terrace with ritual bells and a gong, which emits a low vibrating sound when struck. There are also cafes and toilets. and benches for relaxation. Lotuses float in pots filled with water.

Climbing upstairs, visitors get to the observation deck, which offers panoramic views of Bangkok. The golden 15-meter bell-shaped stupa is crowned with a spire.

How to get there

The Temple of the Golden Mount is a 15-20 minute walk from the popular tourist Khao San Road. To shorten the journey, you can take one stop on any bus heading towards the center. If you go on foot, then you need to cross the river over the bridge and in a couple of minutes the entrance will appear on the right side.

Wat Saket is within walking distance of the main attractions of Bangkok - the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha Wat Pho. There are no metro stations nearby.

Bus routes number 8, 15, 37, 47, 49 pass by Wat Saket, the fare depends on the distance and varies from 6 to 23 baht. From the central part of the capital of Thailand, you can get there by buses No. 2 and 511, following to the roundabout at the Democracy Monument.

From the Pratunam and Siam areas, it is more convenient to get to the klong (river channel) by boat on the Golden Line route for 13 baht. The pier is located under the bridge at the intersection of Phetchaburi and Ratchadamri streets. You should get off at the final stop - the Phan Fa Lilat pier. Alternatively, you can take a ferry and sail along Chao Phraya to Phra Arthit Pier.

If you do not want to use public transport, the GrabTaxi taxi mobile application will help out.