Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan

Located on Arun Amarin Road, by the Chao Phraya River on the Thonburi side, opposite Wat Pho, it is a temple that has existed since the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Originally named Wat Chaeng, it was later when the King of Thonburi relocated the capital from Ayutthaya to Thonburi, he decreed Wat Chaeng to be within the royal precincts and established it as a royal temple of the first rank, a type of royal temple of the highest class, which houses the Phra Buddha Maha Mani Rattana Patimakorn (Emerald Buddha) brought over from Vientiane. The temple underwent a major restoration during the reign of King Rama II, thus becoming the temple representative of the reign. After the restoration was completed, it was officially named Wat Arun Ratchatharam. During the reign of King Rama III, the construction of the great pagoda, 82 meters high and 234 meters wide, was completed in the reign of King Rama IV, and the name was changed to Wat Arun Ratchawararam as it is called today. Open daily from 08:00 to 18:00 hrs.