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Having held the distinct honour of being the Thai capital’s tallest structure till the dawn of the 20th century the Wat Saket Temple is no ordinary Buddhist temple in bustling Bangkok. Dating back nearly 200 years the temple also known as the Golden Mount is a mammoth edifice that occupies a prominent position in the country’s cultural and religious landscape. Towering above the surrounding landscape at a cloud gracing height the venue is located in the historic district of Banglamphu.
Built in the 1800’s during the age of Ayutthaya, Wat Saket Temple is the capital’s oldest surviving Buddhist structure as its construction predates some of Bangkok’s landmark temple edifices including What Arun, Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew. Serving as a popular lookout point for locals as well as travellers the venue positioned at a commanding height is a well-known make shift observation deck boasting 360 degree views of the Thai capital. Providing visitors with a vaulted vantage point the temple affords some of the most panoramic views of Bangkok from a height of 58m.
Also known as Phu Khao Thong in the local tongue, the Golden Mount or Wat Saket Temple was commissioned to be built by none other than King Rama III, whose grandfather was the founding monarch of Thailand, Rama the First. Perched on a man-made hill the temple is synonymous with the larger than life golden Chedi at the top. Reached via a staircase surrounded by waterfalls and tranquil gardens the venue is believed to house various precious relics of Lord Buddha. Visitors can ring the prayer bells that are found en route to the summit where they will encounter an enclosed shrine with a Buddha sculpture of gold leaves. A narrow staircase from this area of the temple takes visitors to the large open-air deck where the stunning views of the surrounding environment can be enjoyed.
Laying offerings of flowers, lighting lamps or candles and aromatic joss sticks is common practice at Wat Saket where the sound of bells and cool winds are a daily constant.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
