Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, Royal Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wat Bowonniwet Vihara is a royal Buddhist temple in the Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok. The complex includes several white marble buildings, among them an ordination hall with European influence and living quarters for monks set behind high walls.
A prince founded a reform movement within Thai Buddhism here in 1836, introducing stricter rules for monks. Fifteen years later, this prince ascended the throne as King Rama IV and shaped the modernization of the country.
The monastery served as a spiritual home for several kings who lived here as monks before ascending the throne. This royal connection remains visible today in the architecture and ceremonies that take place in the courtyard.
The complex opens daily for visitors, who should wear respectful clothing covering shoulders and knees. The main prayer hall and courtyard are accessible, while some residential areas for monks remain private.
A monk named Khrua In Khong painted murals here that combined Western perspective with traditional Thai themes, which was new at the time. His work from the mid-19th century shows landscapes and architecture in a style Buddhist artworks had not known before.
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