Wat Pho
Royal court artisans under King Rama I · Bangkok, Thailand · 1788
Wat Pho occupies a large walled compound immediately south of the Grand Palace and is among the key monuments of early Rattanakosin Bangkok. King Rama I rebuilt an older temple here as part of the new capital, and later reigns expanded its courts, chedis, cloisters and educational inscriptions. The complex is best known for the Reclining Buddha, yet its architectural importance lies equally in the rhythm of tiled roofs, richly patterned stupas and intimate garden-like courts. Stone figures and decorative elements reveal the maritime exchange between Siam and China. The recorded year marks the founding reconstruction; many visible components belong to subsequent campaigns, especially the major enlargement under Rama III.