Bangkok is a city that enshrines Buddhist within its limits, as it boasts more splendid temples than there are churches in Rome. To thoroughly soak in the spectacular spirituality of this Buddhist nation, there are many a fine Bangkok hotel one can base a stay at. Consider the iconic city centre, or Sukhumvit area, which features a select Sukhumvit hotel in the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok whose stylish interiors and luxury amenities make it an ideal option to soak in the various cultural offerings of the city. The beautiful temple of Wat Ratchabophit, built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), features a rather unique layout, which sees its wiharn and ubosot connected by a circular courtyard, in the middle of which stands a gilded “chedi” (stupa). The temple houses a relic of the Buddha, and the stupa was built to mimic Sri Lankan temple architecture. The ordinal hall boasts a fine interior, with ten door panels and twenty-eight window panels painted with gilded black lacquer on the inside. The temple’s interior has incorporated gilded Italian architecture inspired by the king’s visit to Europe, and the entrance doors stand 3m high, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The drum tower is a single-storey building decorated with Bencharong ceramic nagas (snakes) and Erwan heads. Westward in the temple grounds sits the Royal Cemetary, which has had the remains of many Thai royalists interred within. A unique feature of the temple complex is its Christian church, and it also features many stupas and khamer-face towers. It is truly a unique tribute to the country’s major religion.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.