History Wat Pho

phra maha chedi si ratchakan

wat pho 1 of bangkok s oldest temples. existed before bangkok established capital king rama i. named wat photaram or podharam, name wat pho derived. name refers monastery of bodhi tree in bodh gaya, india buddha believed have attained enlightenment. older temple thought have been built or expanded during reign of king phetracha (1688–1703), date , founder unknown. southern section of wat pho used occupied part of french star fort demolished king phetracha after 1688 siege of bangkok.

after fall of ayutthaya burmese, king taksin moved capital thonburi located palace beside wat arun on opposite side of river wat pho. proximity of wat pho royal palace elevated status of wat luang (royal monastery).

in 1782, king rama moved capital thonburi across river bangkok , built grand palace adjacent wat pho. in 1788, ordered construction , renovation @ old temple site of wat pho, had become dilapidated. site, marshy , uneven, drained , filled in before construction began. during construction rama initiated project remove buddha images abandoned temples in ayutthaya, sukhothai, other sites in thailand, , many of these buddha images kept @ wat pho. these include remnants of enormous buddha image ayuthaya s wat phra si sanphet destroyed burmese in 1767, , these incorporated chedi in complex. rebuilding took on 7 years complete. in 1801, twelve years after work began, new temple complex renamed phra chetuphon vimolmangklavas in reference vihara of jetavana, , became main temple rama i.

arrival of king of siam @ wat pho, c. 1865

the complex underwent significant changes in next 260 years, particularly during reign of rama iii (1824-1851 ce). in 1832, king rama iii began renovating , enlarging temple complex, process took 16 years , 7 months complete. ground of temple complex expanded 22 acres, , of structures present in wat pho either built or rebuilt in period, including chapel of reclining buddha. turned temple complex public center of learning decorating walls of buildings diagrams , inscriptions on various subjects. ] on 21 february 2008, these marble illustrations , inscriptions registered in memory of world programme launched unesco promote, preserve , propagate wisdom of world heritage. wat pho regarded thailand’s first university , center traditional thai massage. served medical teaching center in mid-19th century before advent of modern medicine, , temple remains center traditional medicine today private school thai medicine founded in 1957 still operates.

the name of complex changed again wat phra chetuphon vimolmangklararm during reign of king rama iv. apart construction of fourth great chedi , minor modifications rama iv, there had been no significant changes wat pho since. repair work, however, continuing process, funded devotees of temple. temple restored again in 1982 before bangkok bicentennial celebration.