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Loha Prasat, Wat Ratchanadda in Bangkok, Thailand
Loha Prasat, Wat Ratchanadda – The Metal Castle in Bangkok
Bangkok alone has an influx of all the wats, temples, and palaces you can imagine. Main attractions in Bangkok are of course all about Buddhist’s expression of faith. There is this one sure standout compared to all the golden and colorfully-detailed worship places out here; somewhere in the Phra Nakhon district, you will find this expectional Buddhist temple, the Wat Ratchanadda.
Located at the busy junction between Ratchadamnoen Klang and Maha Chai Road is this striking black and white temple, the Wat Ratchanadda. To some it’s known as the Loha Prasat or the Metal Castle. The most convenient way to get to this temple is thru tuktuk or cab rides, as there are no near train stations around the area. It’s a long walk from the nearest MRT so it’s best to hail a driver to reach this metal castle. Once you reach the place, even from afar, the first thing that you’ll notice are the black-top edifice sprouting above white structures. A rip off from a story book, perhaps? It looks strong and imposing, yet the overall design is not as lively and bright as the normal Buddhist temples.
For a temple as commanding as this one, it’s good that it’s not too crowded. Maybe, it’s because it’s relatively hard to reach the Loha Prasat compared to the other temples around Bangkok. But, there are so many highlights to encounter about this place that’s worth the recommendation. For one, The prasat is made of five concentric square towers, each consecutively taller than the other. Yes, structural masterpiece it is.
Once you enter the ground level, where you have to go barefoot because it is “holy ground” to step inside of this Temple of Nirvana. Each layer of the tower looks like a maze of corridors and red windows. You’ll see shadows and sun shines crawl around the floors and Buddha structures found on each level. You’ll find summarized stories of history for each floor, from the History of Construction of the Loha Prasat, to Lord Buddha’s Relics, to Sitting Meditation area.
First on the list is the staircase found in the middle of this magnum opus. It is constructed as a free-standing metal center column with thick wood treads. This well-polished staircase leads to the next favorite here, which is the apex floor of the temple, the Nirvana. Indeed, a nirvana moment as it allows travelers to have a 360 Panorama view of Bangkok. It’s definitely a different vantage point from here and it allows people to learn and understand how the Buddhists depict Nirvana. It’s also a place where you can see and pray for the Buddha’s relics, which is found here. Overall, the temple is the perfect place if you want to break your stereotype of Bangkok temples as it’s a black approach with a nirvana ending.
Address: Soi Rat Chadamnoen Klang Tai Wat Bawon Niwet, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand
Opening Hours: Daily 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
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