Wat Traimit in Bangkok is known above all for what it holds: a solid gold Buddha statue weighing about 5.5 tonnes. The statue is rich in history.
It was probably made in the 14th century and travelled across Thailand before reaching Bangkok.
More about Wat Traimit temple
Until the middle of the 20th century, Wat Traimit was a modest temple in Samphanthawong district. It is white, with a magnificent roof decorated in gold and blue. In 1955 the Buddha statue, which was then completely covered in plaster, was being moved to a new building at the temple. It is thought that the plaster had been added centuries earlier to hide the statue from Burmese invaders. During the move the statue fell, the plaster cracked, and the gold beneath was revealed.
Since then the statue has been kept at the temple, and many visitors come to Bangkok every year to see it.