Temple of the Emerald Buddha
One of the most beautiful spots to visit in Bangkok has to be Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. This giant compound consists of over 100 buildings and dates back to the era when Bangkok was founded, around 1782. This is the most important and sacred of Thailand's temples, and its people treat it with outmost respect and cherish it immensely. As with most temples, shoes must be taken off before entering.

The temple earns its name from the tiny Buddha housed inside, which isn't actually made of emerald but of green jade or jasper. It is perched high up above the heads of those in the temple, and is actually quite hard to get a look at due to its small size, about 75 cm. The Buddha is coveted by the Thai people, and is said to have been the cause of many wars throughout history. It was made sometime in the 15th century, and finally ended up in Bangkok for good in 1782. The statue is clothed in a robe that is changed three times yearly by the King of Thailand. Three different robes are actually circulated on the Buddha throughout the year, between a gold robe for the colder seasons, a gilded monk's robe for the rainy season, and a beautiful gold and diamond-laden robe for the hot season.

More Temple of the Emerald Buddha Although often closed to the public, the two libraries present in the complex are impressive and worth browsing through. The Royal Pantheon contains statues of the first seven kings of the Chakri Dynasty, fiercely watched over by giant statures of mythical guardians. In the cloister surrounding the actual temple, there is a beautiful mural of the Ramakain, and Thai version of an epic based on an Indian story.