Wat Saket - Golden Mount

Wat Saket is more commonly known as the Golden Mount or Phu Khao Thong. This very large, entirely golden "Chedi" or domed reliquary stands on top of a tall hill in the old royal sectors of Bangkok. It is easy to see why this attraction remains popular with tourists and Thais alike; individuals who travel to the top are rewarded with stunning views of Bangkok and many of its most famous sights such as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Democracy Monument.

300, shallow steps spiral around the outside of the Chedi to the top where the most inspiring vistas are to be found. A visit to Bangkok would not be complete without experiencing the view from Wat Saket. In fact, the view is comparable to the one available from the Statue of Liberty in New York or the London Eye.

This landmark, on the only hill in Bangkok, is of great significance for all followers of The Lord Buddha. 320 stairs take you up to the top for panoramic views of the Rattanakosin Island.

The Golden Mount is on a man-made hill with a diameter of 500 metres and soars 100 metres to the sky. There was a small chedi on this site and after it collapsed, King Rama III commissioned the constructed of a much larger one which was completed during the reign of King Rama V.

In 1877, King Rama V brought the Buddha relic in the custody of the Royal Chakri family from the Grand Palace to the Royal Pavilion at Wat Saket. It was then enshrined in the in the pagoda on top of the Golden Mount.

Two decades later, Marquis Curzon, the British Viceroy of India, presented more Buddha relics near the Nepalese border to King Rama V. These were enshrined in a bronze pagoda in 1899 and installed on the top of the Golden Mount.

The temple, Wat Saket, was built during the reign of King Rama I and is the location for a festival each November that includes a climb to the top of the Golden Mount.