Wat Suthat

It’s easy to stumble across a temple in Bangkok… But there are only 6 royal-status Buddhist temples in the city. This is why we’ve brought you to Wat Suthat, just on your left. Construction began in 1807 under King Rama I, but the temple took four decades to complete, and was finally inaugurated during the reign of Rama III. Beyond its elegant architecture, you’ll find stunning murals in its main chapel, and an 8-metre-tall, 14th century Buddha statue. You also can’t ignore the giant red structure at the entrance… This 20-metre-high frame was once part of a massive swing used during religious ceremonies. It was a symbol of good luck, and the main object of a dangerous contest… Young men would swing as high as they could to try and bite into bags of gold coins suspended from a pole. However, after several fatalities, the practice was banned in the 1930s. There’s clearly a fine line between fun and tradition…