La Wat Arun sau Templul Zorilor ajungi trecand cu barca din statia Tha Tien, langa Marele Palat, pe malul celalalt al Chao Praya. Te costa doat 3 baht si traversarea dureaza cateva minute. La Wat Arun sunt mereu vizitatori, mai putini – e drept – la ora tarzie cand am ajuns noi. Templul se poate vizita intre 8.30 – 17.30 si intrarea costa 50 bht. De fapt, numele complet al templului este Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan. Dragut, nu? Denumirea a fost schimbata de cateva ori (Wat Makok in timpul Regatului Ayutthaya, cand a fost construit, Wat Khaeng in timpul Regelui Taksin, cand Thonburi a devenit capitala), cea de Wat Arun datorandu-se regelui Rama al IV-lea care dorea ca astfel sa conserve numele zeului zorilor, Aruna.

Traveller in Thailand 32. Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn

We went to visit Wat Arun or The Temple of the Dawn taking the boat – to traverse Chao Praya – form the Tha Tien station. The temple may be visited between 8.30-17.30 and the entrance ticket costs 50 bht.

In fact, the complete name of the temple is Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan.and it was changed during his history from Wat Makok during Ayutthaya period, to Wat Khaeng during the reign of the King Taksin, when Thonburi was made capital of Siam. The greatest developments of the temple took place during the reign of the Rama kings.

The central prang (tower) of the temple, in Khmer style, is 86 m heigh and it is surrounded by 4 smaller prangs. The richness of decorations, made of porcelain, is astonishing! The little pieces of porcelain came from the Chinese vessels, which used them as balast.

The temple is a mixture of beliefs in Buddhist and Hindu gods (e.g. Indra, a Hindu deity,on the “erawan” a three headed elephant).

For a photographer, even if a non-professional one, this temple is Heaven on Earth with the many details which make you push the button continuously…But not only in the zone of the prangs. The courtyard with amny other buildings is also rewarding. We waitied till the sunset and then the view became breathtaking…

Cu turnul (prang) sau inalt de 86 de m, construit in stilul Khmer, templul a devenit o emblema a Bangkokului, fiind admirat de catre turisti mai ales la apusul soarelui. Constructia s-a desavarsit in timpul lui Rama I. Turnul simbolizeaza miticul Munte Meru, lacasul zeilor hindusi.

Constructia reprezinta un amestec de credinte budhiste si hinduse, dupa cum dovedeste prezenta zeitatii hinduse Indra, calarind pe “erawan”, elefantul cu trei capete.

Pentru amatorul de fotografii acesta este, intr-adevar un loc unde se poate pierde in detalii. Timpul e mult prea scurt ca sa le observe pe toate.

Nu mai era mult pana la ora inchiderii, iar soarele incepea sa apuna. Era chiar ceea ce venisem sa vedem aici si spectacolul nu ne-a dezamagit.