Wat Phrasri Rattana Sasadaram orWat Phra Kaew, the "Temple of the Emerald Buddha", is one of the most sacred Buddhisttemples inThailand.[1] It is in the grounds of the Grand Palace. It is the onlytemple inBangkok that does not havemonks. This temple is famous for thestatue ofBuddha, which is really made fromjade, notemerald. The king of Thailand is the only person allowed to go near the Emerald Buddha.[1] The king changes the clothes on the Buddha three times every year. In summer the Buddha is dressed in a crown and jewelry; in winter he wears a golden shawl, and in the rainy months he wears a gold robe and headdress.[1]
The temple was started in 2325 B.E. during the reign of KingRama I and finished in 2327 B.E. The temple was built to hold the Buddha statue which is believed to have been made in Thailand in the14th century.[1] Captured by theCambodians in 1552, the statue was kept inLaos for 214 years until King Rama I recaptured it. He brought it with him when he moved his capital to Bangkok in 1784.[1] The design of this temple was copied from Wat Phrasrisanphet in the Ayudhaya period. Because Wat Phrasri Rattana Sasadaram is important, it is renovated every 50 years.[2]
