Wat Benchamabophit is a temple compound of profound beauty and religious importance. Better known to foreigners as 'the Marble Temple', it is located close to Dusit palace. Wat Benchamabophit is not heavily promoted as a tourist destination, and therefore the number of foreign visitors is relatively small. If you stay in Bangkok for only one day, you could be forgiven for wanting to see the Grand Palace and Wat Pho only, but any longer stay should rightfully include a visit to the Marble Temple. The Ubosoth was constructed with Carrara marble from Italy, therefore the name.
Wat Benchamabophit is a royal monastery belonging to the first class ranking of Rajavaravihara. Few wats belong to this class. The wat was founded during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) on 1 March 1900. Because of this date, it not long ago celebrated its centennial. That possibly is one of the reasons why the compound as a whole looks amazingly well maintained, with even the monks living quarters in bright unexpected colors.
The name 'Wat Bechamabophit' simply means : the temple of the Fifth King.
The main structure at Wat Benchamabophit is the Ubosoth Hall. It is one of the finest works of architectural art of the Bangkok period. The Ubosoth has four gables, with the east gable being the main entrance.
At the cloister of the Ubosoth 52 Buddha images are enshrined. Some are original and have been brought here from all corners of the Kingdom and from abroad. Others are copies (often enlarged) from important Buddha images. Walking and observing the Buddha images is a study in Buddha image iconography. You will see the Buddha in many different postures and with different hand gestures. All important Buddha image styles from Thailand (Dvaravati, Lopburi, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya) are represented
When visiting Wat Bechamabophit, it probably should be most conveniently combined with a visit to Vimanmek Mansion, which is closeby. The whole area contains many government buildings and one passes many ministries just walking around. In our opinion the most speedy way to reach Wat Bechamabophit or Vimanmek Mansion is to take the skytrain (BTS) to Phayathai station, and take a short ride by taxi from there.
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