Wat Suthat

Wat Suthat is one of only six royal temples of the highest rank in Thailand, a distinction that makes it truly special. Construction began in 1807 under King Rama I and was completed nearly forty years later during the reign of Rama III. The temple is admired for its graceful architecture and the magnificent murals inside its main chapel. These paintings are not only rich in Buddhist cosmology, they also capture glimpses of everyday life in nineteenth-century Bangkok. At the heart of the hall sits a monumental bronze Buddha, eight meters tall, brought here from the ancient city of Sukhothai. Yet what makes Wat Suthat instantly recognizable is the towering red Giant Swing that stands at its entrance. Rising twenty meters high, it was once used in a dramatic Brahmin ceremony celebrating the rice harvest. Young men would swing higher and higher, attempting to bite bags of gold coins tied to a pole—a dangerous feat that often ended in fatal falls. The ritual was finally banned in the 1930s, but the Giant Swing remains a striking landmark and a powerful symbol of Bangkok’s history and spirit.