Wat Arun, Buddhist temple in Bangkok Yai district, Thailand
Wat Arun is a Buddhist temple on the western shore of the Chao Phraya in Bangkok Yai, recognizable from afar by its 82-meter central tower. This tower and four smaller corner towers are decorated with Chinese porcelain fragments and colored ceramic tiles forming geometric and floral patterns.
During the Ayutthaya period the temple was known as Wat Makok, before being renamed after King Taksin's arrival in 1767. The current structure with its ceramic-clad towers took shape mainly during King Rama II's reign in the early 19th century.
The name means Temple of Dawn, and visitors on the opposite riverbank see the towers glow in warm light at sunrise. The steep stairs climbing toward the upper section of the main tower represent the difficult path to enlightenment in Buddhist belief.
Visitors should wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees, with rental garments available at the entrance for a fee. The steep stairs on the towers require sturdy shoes and some care when climbing up or down.
The thousands of colored shards embedded in the walls came from Chinese merchant ships that carried ceramics as ballast for the return voyage in the 19th century. These fragments were incorporated during renovation under King Rama III and give the towers their shimmering surface.
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