"Golden Mountain" in Bangkok. Wat Saket Golden Mount Temple
At the northern end historical island Ratanakosin is Wat Saket, notable only for the carved decoration of the temple sanctuary. Nearby stands a 78-meter artificial mountain, known to Europeans called the Golden Mountain, the spire of which serves as a good landmark.
Wat Saket - Temple of the Golden Mount
Wat Saket, similar to Wat Phra Kaew and Pho, was built by Rama I in the early 19th century, and is therefore one of the oldest structures in the city. It was originally built outside the city walls and served as a crematorium for citizens of humble origin. Later, at the end of the 19th century, its territory became a burial place for victims of the cholera epidemic. The complex is built in traditional Bangkok style - the main sanctuary is surrounded by a large and quiet courtyard.
The decoration of the temple is made up of modern paintings. Pay attention to the rows of deities in the upper tiers of the paintings, depicted praying, with their eyes turned to the altar.
Just outside the main monastery there is another sanctuary with a huge standing Buddha, which Rama I removed from the ruins of Sukhothai. Buddha's disciples are depicted on the walls. Behind the altar, in the sanctuary, is a seated Buddha surrounded by bronze statues of his disciples.
Might be useful
In the western part of the wat, 320 steps lead to the top of the Golden Mountain ( highest point Bangkok until the 1960s), winding around tombstones, hundreds of Buddha statues and small mounds embodying Hindu-Buddhist ideas about the structure of the Universe, at the center of which is Mount Meru. This artificial mountain was created from clay, bricks and teak logs after the chedi erected on this site by order of Rama III collapsed due to the erosion of soft soil.
Rama IV subsequently built a new chedi on the ridge of this mountain. The second chedi was rebuilt by Rama V to house an Indian Buddhist relic given to the king by the British government in 1897. Every November, a festival is held in Saket, during which a procession with candles is organized to the top of the Golden Mountain.
Time and cost of visit
- Opening hours: daily 07:30-17:30.
- Free admission.
However, it's worth keeping in mind before you make the climb that a small fee of 10 baht (0.28 USD) is required to enter the building and access the rooftop terrace.
How to get to Golden Mountain
Wat Saket is located between Boriphat Road and Lan Luang Road. There is no metro here. Most best option- . From the Democracy Monument you can walk: straight east along Ratchadamnoen Road, then right after crossing the Phan Fa Bridge.
From the Sukhumvit area, the most convenient way to get there is by boat, sail to final stop Phan Fa Lilat. The cost of the trip is 15 baht, so you will avoid the terrible traffic jams in the center. Get off the boat, take the first left, and you will be there in 5 minutes.
City buses No. 8, 15, 37, 47, 49 also go to the temple; the cost of travel depends on the distance and category of the bus: from 6 to 23 baht.
What is Wat Saket?
Wat Saket on the Golden Mountain is located in Bangkok's Old Town in Phra Nakhon. This Buddhist temple is a famous landmark of the capital, enjoying the constant love of the townspeople and the admiration of tourists from all over the world.
Bangkok became the capital of Thailand in the 18th century, and Saket Temple already existed then, exact time its first construction is not known. It has been restored and reconstructed several times, but it is, of course, not a remake.
The most interesting thing here is the Golden Pagoda or stupa, where Buddhists worship their gods. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century on a previously filled mountain 60 meters high. And the temple itself has a height of 16 meters.
To climb to Wat Saket on the Golden Mountain, you need to overcome 318 steps, believe me, it is not difficult at all. And after passing these steps and approaching the front doors, you will be rewarded with a magnificent panorama of the capital of Thailand.
What can you see at Wat Saket?
The dome of this Buddhist stupa is covered with thin gold foil on the orders of King Rama III; it looks extremely beautiful in the sun. As you go up the stairs, you will see bells and a gong. It is believed that hitting the gong will bring you good luck.
The temple area is very well maintained, there are many tropical trees, among which there are statues of Buddha and animals, you can even see a live elephant. On a hot day, you can easily find much-needed coolness and relaxation near Wat Saket.
When you go inside, you will immediately see a statue of a reclining Buddha, and around him there are several smaller figures. There is also a statue of the Emerald Buddha, a copy of Wat Phra Kaew. You can pray, meditate or just think, the environment is conducive to this.
In the very center of the Golden Pagoda there is, closed in a small sarcophagus, a shrine brought from India. It is not shown to tourists as they are uninitiated in the mysteries of Buddhism. The sarcophagus contains a piece of the relics of Buddha, which all Buddhists worship.
It is interesting that in modern Buddhist temples, sound speakers are installed, from which a voice flows, reading the Holy Books of this religion. Locals They come here to pray together and celebrate family holidays.
The interior walls of the pagoda are covered with paintings telling about the earthly life and earthly suffering of the Buddha, his path to enlightenment, which he eventually achieved. Such pictures can often be seen on Thai postcards.
There is a souvenir shop inside the temple, so you can always buy some trinket as a souvenir of your visit to this extraordinary place and at home again remember your trip to the fabulously beautiful Thailand.
There are many more religious buildings around the pagoda, because it is a large temple complex. These buildings were built in traditional Thai style and are intended for worship and domestic needs.
It is also worth noting that a century ago this temple specialized in the cremation of the local poor. Today it does not perform this function. People come here to pray, meditate, celebrate holidays, incl. and funeral. After all, in Thailand this is a family celebration.
How to get to Wat Saket?
The temple is located in the old part of the city; there is no metro here. But you can get there by taxi or public transport. There are buses, tuk-tuks, water buses and ferries. If you wish, you can walk to Wat Saket. Not far away is Wat Ratchanadda, Royal Palace and Wat Pho.
How much does it cost to visit the temple?
Wat Saket is open to tourists from 07:30 to 17:30.
Entrance to it is completely free, like to any Buddhist temple. But it is customary to bring monetary donations, which should be placed in special piggy banks located at the entrance. You cannot give money to monks; this is prohibited by their faith.
What should you consider?
In addition to the well-known rule that you can only come to a Buddhist temple in closed clothes, they also ask you to take off your shoes when entering the stupa. There is a notice about this on the front doors. But all this is not necessary. The monks themselves easily wear shoes.
Remember that for a Buddhist monk, money is a great evil that significantly removes one from enlightenment. Just like a woman, he cannot touch them. This rule is strict. Therefore, do not try to give the monk even a small change, it will offend him.
Wat Saket is another good temple in the historical part of Bangkok, where you can stop by on the way to some attraction. Although a targeted visit is also an option, fortunately it is not difficult to get there. As a rule, such temples, like , are known to everyone, since package tourists are brought to them in huge numbers by bus. To a greater extent, this, of course, concerns, because there really is something to look at - the huge figure of the reclining Buddha. Wat Saket is notable mainly for the fact that it offers views of Bangkok, so there are much fewer people here.
It is not called the Temple of the Golden Mountain for nothing. The fact is that it is located on an artificially created mountain, and at the very top there is a golden stupa. Before the era of skyscrapers, Saket was one of the highest places in Bangkok. By the way, this mountain once sank due to weak soil, but then it was restored. I hope this doesn’t happen again, otherwise I’m still going to go back there. Visually now everything looks very strong, all the grief has been removed into concrete retaining walls.
Climbing the mountain is not difficult, literally 300-odd steps. Although it may cause some, but not critical, difficulties for couch potatoes. The mountain is surrounded by two spiral staircases, one going up, the other going down. In fact, it doesn’t matter which way you climb. Where in the middle of the climb there is a cafe for those who are tired. There are also bells and gongs along the way, available to visitors, ring for your health. And that’s why you can’t call our Orthodox Christians, it’s so great...
At the very end of the stairs there are views of the Bangkok rooftops, both skyscrapers and poor houses. We go inside the temple and see several statues typical of a Thai temple, there is even some kind of relic hidden in a sarcophagus. From here there is a staircase to the roof on observation deck, where the same golden stupa is installed. Please note that if it is the height of the day and it is hot, then it is easier to observe the city from the large windows of the temple, and not from the observation deck.
Many people write that Wat Saket has a rather pleasant atmosphere, and I can agree with them. Indeed, a kind of island of calm in the very center of a large and noisy city, where you want to linger for a while and escape from pressing matters and thoughts.
Once, not far from the temple, these cute creatures were sold
Visiting information
The easiest way to get from the Temple of the Golden Mount is on foot; it takes literally 15 minutes to walk. For lazy people there are tuk-tuks, they will also take you there without any problems. If you come from another part of the city, there is no metro here, and you can get there either by city buses or by klong (). The latter is relevant if, for example, you are coming from the Pratunam area, where everything shopping centers located and . It takes about 20 minutes to drive from there to the final one. IN reverse side, it’s also good to ride, don’t get stuck in traffic jams.
Opening hours of Wat Saket are from 7.30 to 17.30. It’s a pity that you can’t get here in the evening to see Bangkok at night.
If you want to find a hotel and stay near this place, it is convenient to choose accommodation on RoomGuru, this is a convenient service where you can compare hotel prices in different booking systems.
I have stayed in Bangkok many times and in different hotels. I will not provide links to all of my reviews, I will only provide a few. — convenient for stopping near the airport and metro, — good place for an overnight stay near Khao San, located in the center next to the park.
Opening hours of Wat Saket
Photo: “A miniature copy stands at the foot, at the entrance.”
Temple of the Golden Mountain (Wat Saket) in Thailand.
You have decided to visit Thailand. Getting to know this amazing country starts from its capital - Bangkok city, because it is on its soil that your feet step when you step off the plane. What's next? Complete confusion - where to go for a tourist hungry for spectacle? There are so many interesting things in the Thai capital that you want to see with your own eyes that you begin to seriously regret the impossibility of splitting into two..., in general, multiplying into many people who would go in different directions, and on the day of departure they would meet, each with their own impression, and united again in one body. In order not to rush around the city in search of attractions, wasting precious time, it is better to make a list of those objects that you definitely want to see in advance of your trip. Thanks to the Internet, this is easy to do.
Photo: “A figurine of an elephant and three monkeys stands at the first steps.”
I don't know if it will be on your list Temple of the Golden Mount in Bangkok, but if not, then I definitely recommend adding it. Both the object itself and the area where it is located are indescribable beauty! The temple is also known as Wat Saket. It rises above the city by more than seventy meters. Needless to say, what a view will open to your eyes from such a height! To make it easier to find it, it is better to be in the city at the Democracy Monument, and from this landmark to the temple it is only 5-10 walks.
Photo: “Monument to Democracy”.
It takes enough large area, because it is not one building, but a whole ensemble. Therefore, the walk will be exciting. The route is designed as if you were moving in a spiral. On the way you will meet numerous colorful sculptures of people and animals. For entrance to the top of the Golden Mountain You will need to pay a purely symbolic amount, but you can visit the temple for free. At the foot, on a stone pedestal, in a niche of which you are greeted by a smiling, well-fed god sitting under a small waterfall, you will see an arrow with the word up - this is the direction to start the inspection. So, everything is organized culturally and thoughtfully.
Photo: "Arrow with the word UP pointing to the stairs."
Photo: “There is a very long staircase leading to the top.”
Photo: “The view from the last steps is stunning.”
Every step that brings you closer to your main goal opens up all sorts of surprises: buddha statue and the strange animals surrounding her hide in the spray of water; then the touching laughing dolls will make your mouth involuntarily stretch into a smile. The surrounding vegetation is lush and thick fog swirls - a sort of jungle illusion created by steam humidifiers hidden in the tree branches. If your untrained legs get tired of walking up the spiral stairs, you can give them a rest on the picturesque areas with benches. Bells are hung at some sites. Tourists believe that if you make a wish and hit the bell, your wish will come true. This is wrong. I’ll tell you a secret - in order for things to come true, you need to make sure that all the bells ring at once.
The climb will not seem tiring at all, because as you move higher and higher, you will admire either the amazing views below or the huge flowerpots with luxurious plants installed on the steps of the stairs. And, of course, photos, photos, photos! Suddenly you realize that you have already reached the top tier and in front of you it is - Wat Saket temple. When it was first erected on the mountain, this point was considered the most high place in Bangkok. But later, due to engineering miscalculations, the mountain began to sag. To protect the symbol of Buddhism from destruction, restoration measures were taken, which consisted of thorough strengthening.
Photo: “Many Buddha sculptures.”
Photo: “Golden Stupa”.
On the mountain itself there is a pagoda, and main temple not far from her. Shoes must be removed upon entry. The first room we find ourselves in is the Golden Chedi. There are many Buddha sculptures here, varying in size and decoration. According to legend (and maybe true), it is here that several remains of the main religious Deity are kept. Revered awe covers everyone who sees the huge, majestic, sparkling Golden Stupa. You can get to the highest observation deck of the mountain on the roof of the temple using a special staircase. If it was not possible to persuade all the bells on one of the platforms to sound during the ascent to fulfill a wish, then for the same purpose here, on the site, you can hit a large gong.
Photo: “On the way back, hit the gong and make a wish.”
If you are lucky with the timing of your visit, you can watch the service take place. This is an open ceremony and the monks do not pay attention to tourists. And be prepared to see unusual sculptural subjects, as if saying that we are all mortal. Their appearance is due to the fact that at the end of the nineteenth century poor people (about 60,000 people) were cremated in the temple.
Photo: “Buddha statue and bell.”
Along the route of climbing the Mountain and descending from it, you will encounter bells and gongs many times. Make wishes and call as much as you want. One thing is for sure - if among them there is a desire to travel to Thailand again, it will definitely come true!
If you have not yet decided on the hotel you want to stay at, turn your attention to this budget hotel in Bangkok, not far from the temple.
Budget hotels in the heart of Bangkok.
We always try to stop at inexpensive hotels and as close as possible to the city center, so that after walking you don’t have to spend 1-2 hours returning to your room. Popular services offer hundreds of options and you can choose a week. For you, we have selected HOTELS IN THE CENTER - 3, 4 STARS WITH OR WITHOUT BREAKFAST. These are the booking options that are most popular among Russian tourists. You can also immediately buy air tickets to Bangkok at a favorable price. We wish you more interesting travels.
Another place worth visiting Thailand is Wat Saket. This temple is also called the Golden Mount Temple. Visiting this place will make you feel at peace. The Golden Mount Temple in Bangkok is considered the oldest temple in the capital. The structure rises on a hill 80 meters high, and at the very top of the building there is a golden stupa (Chedi). According to legend, after the death of Buddha, his ashes were hidden in 8 such stupas.
Where is Wat Saket Temple?
Wat Saket Temple is located in Bangkok in the east of the Old City, the road from it goes to Boriphat Street. The address where Wat Saket is located: Bangkok Soi Borommabanphot, Ban Bat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai. You can find out the route in detail by studying its location on the map.
How to get there
The Temple of the Golden Mount is located near Tha Phan Fah pier, which will be convenient for those who travel from the business center of the capital. Please note that there is no metro near the attraction, so if you are not in the mood to get there by car water transport, then the only option will be taxi or bus(this route is followed by 8, 37, 15, 47, 49). Fare to public transport will cost from 6 to 25 baht. If you are close to the Democracy Monument, you can walk there.
History of creation
The first records of the temple date back to the 1600s. At that time, there were many cemeteries on the territory of Wat Saket. Because of this, this area is still called “Ghost Gate” by locals.
Golden Mountain has its own separate story. Rama III wanted to build the Chedi on the mountain so that the shrine would guard the entrance to the city, but the loose soil could not bear the weight and collapsed. Soon his son decided to make his father's dream come true and erected a small sacred Chedi on a hill made of earth and stone. During the reign of Rama V, the structure was strengthened and the shrine was already firmly standing on the hill.
Note that these stupas initially served as a place to store the remains of the Buddha, and soon the remains of great rulers began to be stored in them. Today, in the prayer room of Wat Saket, all monks are ordained, and the most important temple rituals take place here.
Architectural style
Wat Saket, known as the Temple of the Golden Mountain, was built in traditional Thai style. The architecture of the building is dominated by shades of gold. The temple itself stands on a man-made hill, at the very top of which is the sacred Golden Stupa.
Climbing to the temple
At the base of the temple there is a spiral staircase, which consists of 320 steps and leads directly to observation deck. The climb is not steep, so overcoming this obstacle will not be difficult. There are also benches for rest on the way to the top. The climb to the top will take about 15 minutes. There are bells hanging along the staircase railings that anyone can ring. According to legend, this brings good luck.
- The temple houses expensive and sacred relics for the Thais, which ruler Rama V brought from India.
- It is not necessary to take off your shoes when entering the Temple of the Golden Mount.
- The golden mountain of Wat Saket was considered the most tall building in the capital before the construction of skyscrapers there.
- The Temple of the Golden Mountain represents sacred mountain Meru, which is one of the main symbols of Buddhism.
- In the 19th century, this place was used to cremate the bodies of the population of Bangkok.
Opening hours
The temple is accessible to tourists every day from 7:30 to 17:30 without breaks or weekends.
Useful for tourists:
Do you know? The best time to visit the Temple of the Golden Mountain is at sunrise or sunset, when the most beautiful view opens from the observation deck.
Ticket prices
Entrance to the temple is absolutely free, that is, there are no ticket offices, but remember that before going upstairs you need to make a small donation of 10 baht. After going up the steps, you will go out to the observation deck and can enjoy beautiful view. Don't forget that taking photos is prohibited in the temple itself.
Important to know. Wat Saket hosts an annual fair in November. The golden stupa is decorated with red cloth. All this action is complemented by a procession of people with candles to the holy place.
What to see nearby
If you love to travel, then Thailand will be a discovery for you and will amaze you with its culture and architecture. Be sure to visit Wat Saket temple and look at the attractions that are nearby.
- . This is the former residence of the country's rulers. The palace is rightfully considered the largest building in the world, entirely built from a rare type of teak wood.
- Wat Phra Kaew. It is also called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Thailand's largest shrine, the Buddha statue, is kept here.
Besides this, . Reviews of tourists who have already visited this place will help you make a list of places you need to visit. unique country. You can also learn a lot of additional information about Thailand and its culture by visiting the pages of the Wikipedia resource. Why do you think Thailand attracts such things every year? large number tourists?
