The Gothic Temple

 

Wat Niwet Thammaprawat is a royal temple located on the grounds of the Summer Palace. It was the private temple of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). King Rama V was the first Siamese monarch to travel to and study in Europe, and he returned to Bangkok with big ideas of how to modernize the country. He is famous for abolishing slavery, creating the Thai rail network (and ordering the construction of Hua Lampong and Hua Hin Stations), building the Grand Palace, and introducing many political reforms for Thailand.

Just as the Grand Palace is built in a fusion-Victorian style, so are most of the great works created by His Majesty. A few months ago, I visited Koh Sichang Island, home of his former weekend resort, and wrote about a small Buddhist shrine that was built in a distinctly Western style. Like that shrine, Wat Niwet Thammaprawat is built in a Western style... in the style of a church, to be exact.

It's the only Buddhist temple of its kind in all of Thailand, and possibly in all of the world. How many Buddhist temples could there be which are built in a neo-Gothic architectural style?

The temple looks for all the world like a small Anglican or Catholic church, no surprise, given the great king's love of all things European! There's even stained glass, something of a rarity in Buddhist architecture.

Inside, in place of a podium or crucifix stands a Buddhist altar with holy relics and images of the Buddha. Colorful stained glass windows filter bright light into the temple, and Italian marble tiles keep the room cool.

Wat Niwet Thammaprawat is a royal temple of the first grade, one of only sixteen of its kind in all of Thailand!