The Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha is one of the most venerated sights in Thailand. On any given day, hundreds of Thais come to this temple to pay respect and to pray before the Buddha image. The Emerald Buddha is always clad in one of three outfits, depending on whether it is rainy season, hot season, or cool season, and there is a ceremony for the changing of the outfits which is performed by the Crown Prince.
The origins of the Emerald Buddha is unknown, though it was first recorded in the 15th century as being housed in the north and covered in plaster and gold-leaf. Some of the plaster was broken off, revealing the green stone from which the image was truly carved. The Buddha is in fact made of jade, not emerald, although this was unknown at the time of discovery. The famed Buddha image enjoyed a great deal of travel, being moved from city to city and eventually confiscated by a Laotian king. As a result, the image resided outside of Thailand for 226 years. King Rama the First regained posession of the Emerald Buddha and had it fittingly enshrined in its current location in Bangkok.
The walls surrounding the palace are covered in murals depicting scenes from the epic The Ramakian (also known as The Ramayana in India). These spectacular paintings depict the rich history and culture of Thailand, including beautiful mythical creatures and popular legends. There is one small example of these murals at the top of this page.
