Wat Phra Kaeo

temple complex, Thailand

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July 23, 2026

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Wat Phra Kaeo, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is Thailand's most sacred temple and is located within the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok. The temple houses the small Emerald Buddha, a statue carved from green jasper dating to around the 15th century.12

Originally in Chiang Rai, the statue was moved to various locations, including Chiang Mai and Vientiane, before being brought to Thailand by King Rama I in 1784. He established Bangkok as the capital and placed the Emerald Buddha in its current temple home in 1784. The Grand Palace itself, built in 1782, is a significant architectural symbol and a major tourist attraction, serving as the former royal residence and still used for ceremonies and hosting dignitaries.21

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Bangkok
History of Bangkok
…of the great royal temple, Wat Phra Kaeo, which housed the Emerald Buddha. A post and telegraph service was organized in the 1880s, an electric tram service was instituted on Charoen Krung in 1892, and the first line of the State Railway, running from Bangkok to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya,…
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…of the great royal temple, Wat Phra Kaeo, which housed the Emerald Buddha. A post and telegraph service was organized in the 1880s, an electric tram service was instituted on Charoen Krung in 1892, and the first line of the State Railway, running from Bangkok to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya,…
Read More