The Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Welcome to the Grand Palace grounds, where magnificent royal and religious buildings stretch out alongside one another. But our eyes are drawn beyond the entrance gate to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the city’s most significant Buddhist temple. Inside one of its chapels sits Thailand’s most revered religious figure, the Emerald Buddha. Despite being only 60 centimetres tall and 45 centimetres wide, it’s the sacred symbol of the reigning dynasty. The emerald Buddha sits atop a pedestal inside a glass case, wearing a golden robe, made of precious stones. Only the king is allowed to change the Buddha’s robes according to the three Thai seasons: hot, rainy, and cool. The origins of this sacred icon are shrouded in mystery. Legend has it the statue was discovered in the 13th century, inside a temple struck by lightning. Its gold cover cracked open, revealing the green colour beneath. The Thai king sent a convoy of elephants to recover the treasure, but on the way back, the elephant carrying the Buddha went the wrong way. The king saw this as a divine sign, and he decided to leave the statue on the road to Lampang where the elephant stopped. It stayed there for 32 years, but was later reclaimed and passed down from ruler to ruler. In the 18th century, King Rama I finally ordered it be brought to Bangkok – just as it was always meant to.