Wat Pho is not just the Reclining Buddha

One of the largest and oldest temples in Bangkok, famous for the statue of the Reclining Buddha. So popular that many people don’t take the time to see the rest of the temple complex. Wat Pho as a leading massage school in Thailand is also a great place for traditional Thai massage.

This 46-meter-long gilded statue made of bricks and plaster occupies virtually one of the wihanas in full (places of assembly, in large temple complexes there may be several wihanas).

Intricately made of mother of pearl images on the soles of the Lying Buddha's feet symbolize 108 lokshans (successful signs) that correspond to different levels in Buddhist cosmology.

IN the temple there are over 100 chedi (monuments-reliquaries) but the four called the Great Chedi are the most important because they honor the first four kings of the Chakri dynasty.

China mosaic decorated Chedi.

Apparently it grew out of a piece cut off from the tree under which Buddha meditated in India.

In the Medical Pavilion located in the center of the complex on stone tablets are shown body punts which should be oppressive with a traditional Thai massage.

A phallic symbol (the image of Shiva Hindu god) worshiped by women who want a child and adorned with colorful fabric when their wishes come true.

Statues of Hermits in unusual positions on the hand-made hills scattered around the compass are supposed to teach people self-healing body positions.

Huge stone caricatures of Europeans (Farang in Thai) in cylinders on their heads. The statues arrived here as ballast on merchant ships returning from China.

Ubosot or shortly Bot (chapel) is the largest building in Wat Pho housing a Buddha statue made of bronze in the base of which are the ashes of Rama I.

A long line of golden statues from various parts of Northern Thailand sitting in the lotus position.

Wat Pho is known as the center of a traditional medicine since 1960. Wat Pho has the best massaging schools in Thailand.

A 10-meter statue of a standing Buddha made of bronze brought from the royal temple of Ayuthaya (the former capital of Thailand called Siam) and a sitting meditating Buddha protected by the deity Naga in the form of seven-headed cobra (long story, those interested are invited to our tours in Bangkok)