Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, Buddhist temple in Bang Si Mueang, Thailand
Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat is a registered historic temple in Bang Si Mueang, Thailand, built on the bank of the Chao Phraya River and enclosed by fortified walls. The complex is made up of several buildings, including a pagoda roughly 45 meters tall built in the Lanka style, a hall called the Wihan Sila Khao, and a Thai-Chinese chapel.
King Nangklao ordered the temple to be built around 1849 as a tribute to his mother and grandparents, and work was completed around 1858 under King Mongkut. The site chosen for the construction had previously served a very different purpose.
The Thai-Chinese chapel inside the complex shows a mix of decorative traditions that visitors can see in the roof details and painted walls. Chinese motifs appear alongside Thai ornamental patterns in a way that feels natural rather than forced.
The temple is best reached by boat, as it sits directly on the Chao Phraya River and the riverside approach gives a good sense of its layout. Allow enough time to walk through the different buildings, since the complex is spread across a wide area within its walls.
Before the temple was built, the site was home to an old fort called Pom Thapthim, and parts of its restored walls can still be seen within the grounds. The outer walls of the temple complex were built in the same style as those of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, which is rare for a temple outside the royal capital's central area.
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