Page 20 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Bangkok

18 ❯❯ Top 10 Bangkok Highlights

Wat Pho

Bangkok’s oldest and largest temple, Wat Pho contains the
awe-inspiring Reclining Buddha. Built in the 16th century
and reconstructed by Rama I, it is a typical Thai temple, with
resident monks, a school, massage pavilions, and a strong
community spirit. Around the grounds are a large number
of statues and chedis (stupas) glittering with mosaics.
Feet of the
3
Reclining
Buddha
The soles of the feet
of the Reclining Buddha
are inlaid with 108
lakshanas, or aus picious
characteristics that
identify the true Buddha.
Crafted in shimmering
mother-of-pearl, these
images are a dazz ling
work of art.
Reclining Buddha
1 3 1 5 6 2
The huge Reclining Buddha (above), made
of brick, plaster, and gold leaf, fills the wihan
(assembly hall) in the northwest corner of the
compound. Admire its serene expression and
its feet, studded with mother-of-pearl inlay.
Traditional
NEED TO KNOW 2
Massage
MAP B5 • Soi Wat Pho is known as a
Chetuphon • 02 226 center for traditional 8 9 7 4 0
0335 • Chao Phraya medicine and since the Map of Wat Pho
express boat to Tha Tien 1960s has run what is
Miniature
• www.watpho.com considered the best 4
Open 8am–6:30pm daily massage school in Mountains
Adm: B200 Thailand. Highly trained On several man-made
masseurs are on hand to mounds around the
• Most visitors enter relieve visitors of their complex are statues of
from Thanon Thai Wang, aches and pains. The hermits in unusual
next to the Reclining school also offers 5-day postures. These are
Buddha. However, the massage courses. intended to teach people
southern entrance on about the heal ing
Soi Chetuphon allows positions for the body.
you to appreciate the
Medicine
rest of the compound 5
in comparative peace Pavilion
before finally arriving In the heart of the
at the temple’s most complex, the Medicine
popular highlight. Pavilion has stone
• Several basic food tablets (left) indicating
shops line the western the pressure points on
border of the temple. the body used during
traditional Thai massage.

Eyewitness Travel – Top 10 series LAYERS PRINTED:
Three-column, 8.25pt grid “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.5)
018-019_Top_10_Bangkok.indd 18 22/05/2017 12:12
Date 12th May 2015
Size 100mm x 191mm