Wat Ratchabophit

{{Short description|Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox religious building | name = Wat Rajabopit Sathitmahasimaram | native_name = | image = วัดราชบพิธสถิตมหาสีมารามราชวรวิหาร มุมกว้าง.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Wat Rajabopit | map_type = Thailand Bangkok | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption = Location in Bangkok | location = | coordinates = {{coord|13|44|57|N|100|29|50|E|display=inline,title}} | religious_affiliation = [[Buddhism]] | sect = [[Theravāda]] | leadership = [[Ariyavongsagatanana (Amborn Ambaro)|Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanana]] ([[Abbot (Buddhism)|abbot]]) | deity = | country = [[Thailand]] | functional_status = | website = | founded_by = [[King Chulalongkorn]] | year_completed = 1869 }} '''Wat Rajabopit ''' ({{IPA|th|wát râːt.tɕʰā.bɔ̄ː.pʰít|pron}}), or formally '''Wat Rajabopit Sathitmahasimaram Ratchaworawihan''' (This is the correct official spelling in English) ({{langx|th|วัดราชบพิธสถิตมหาสีมารามราชวรวิหาร}}), is a [[Buddhist]] [[wat|temple]] on [[Fueang Nakhon Road]], [[Bangkok]], along [[Khlong Khu Mueang Doem]], not far from [[Wat Pho]] and the [[Grand Palace]]. The temple was built during the reign of [[King Chulalongkorn]] (Rama V). The abbot of the temple is [[Ariyavongsagatanana (Amborn Ambaro)|Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanana]], the current [[Supreme Patriarch of Thailand]].

==Architecture== ===Interior=== [[file:Bangkok- Gothic interior of Ubosot, Wat Ratchabophit (2025) - img 01.jpg|thumb|left|Interior of the ''[[ubosot]]'', in [[Gothic revival style]]]] The temple features a unique layout, with its {{Transliteration|th|[[wihan]]}} and {{Transliteration|th|[[ubosot]]}} joined by a circular courtyard, at the center of which stands a gilded [[stupa|chedi]]. The golden ''[[Stupa|chedi]]'' (43m high) is covered with orange-coloured tiles and on top of the chedi, there is a golden ball. There is a relic of Buddha inside and the ''chedi'' was built in Sri Lankan style.<ref name="Liedtke">Liedtke 2011, p. 57</ref> The ordination hall has 10 door panels and 28 window panels each decorated with [[gilded black lacquer]] on the inside.<ref name="Spooner">Spooner 2011, p. 96</ref>

The interior of the temple or ''bot'', is inspired by gilded Italian architecture that Rama V saw on a visit to [[Europe]]. The entrance doors are 3m high and are decorated with inlaid mother-of-pearl, which represents various medals and decorations.<ref name="Spooner"/> The drum tower is a two-storeyed one with hexagonal spires decorated with [[Benjarong]] ceramic ''[[Nāga|naga]]s'' and [[Erawan (elephant)|Erawan]] heads.<ref name="Liedtke"/>

===Royal Cemetery=== On the west end of the temple grounds is the [[Royal Cemetery at Wat Ratchabophit|Royal Cemetery]], with numerous monuments to major and minor members of the [[Thai Royal Family]], most notably those in the immediate family of King Chulalongkorn. One of the memorials, the Rangsi Vadhana Memorial, contains the ashes of [[Mahidol Adulyadej]], [[Srinagarindra]] and [[Galyani Vadhana]].<ref name="Liedtke"/> A Christian church is on the grounds, as are many chedis and Khamer-face towers.<ref name="Liedtke"/>

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Bangkok wat ratchabopit 003.jpg|View from outside the circular cloister File:Mausoleum of Savang Vadhana.jpg|Mausoleum of Savang Vadhana File:Bkkwatrajbopit0409d.jpg|View from outside File:Bangkok wat ratchabopit 021.jpg|The front entrance with an image of watchman File:Bangkok wat ratchabopit 016.jpg|door image File:Wat rajabophit a02.jpg|Outside view </gallery>

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==References== {{refbegin|30em}} *{{Citation |last=Liedtke |first=Marcel |title=Thailand- The East (English Edition) |year=2011|publisher=Books on Demand GmbH |location=Norderstedt |isbn=978-3-8423-7029-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KlspiSV3RP0C&q=wat+arun&pg=PA57}} *{{Citation |last=Spooner |first=Andrew |author2=Hana Borrowman |author3=William Baldwin |title=Footprint Thailand |year=2011|publisher=www.footprintbooks.com |location=UK |isbn=978-1-904777-94-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z9RsdHajfucC&pg=PA99}} {{refend}}

==External links== {{commons category|Wat Ratchabophit}}

[[Category:1860s in Siam]] [[Category:19th-century Buddhist temples in Thailand|Ratchabophit]] [[Category:Buddhist temples in Bangkok|Ratchabophit]] [[Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Thailand]] [[Category:Registered ancient monuments in Bangkok]] [[Category:Dhammayuttika Nikāya temples in Thailand]]