The Temple of Dawn, Bangkok, Thailand
The Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun commonly known as Wat Jaeng, was formerly Wat Makok in the Ayutthaya period. When King Taksin the Great made Thonburi his capital and decided to build his palace on the West bank of the Chao Phraya River, Wat Makok is the royal temple with no residence monks and renamed Wat Jaeng.
The Emerld Buddha was kept at Wat Jaeng when it was brought from Vientiane in 1778 A.D. When King Rama I built Bangkok as the new capital and the seat of the Grand Palace. He allowed Wat Jaeng to have monks in residence.
Wat Jaeng was completely restoration by King Rama II. King Rama II rebuilt the bot, vihan sala kan parien and renamed it Wat Arun Rajtharam. King Rama III raised the old prang in front the temple from 16 meters to 67 meters. King Rama IV to change the name to Wat Arun Ratchavararam.
The Great Prang. The great prang was built in the reign of King Rama III during 1842-1847 A.D. It is 67 meters in height and measures 234 meters round the base. It is the highest prang in this country. The great prang is consisting of the main prang, four corner prangs and four side mondop, all on the same platform. The construction layout was replica to symbolic the Buddhist Cosmology to believe Mount Meru is the center of Universe which was represented by the Main Prang, surrounded by seven cosmic oceans and seven mountains which was represented by the connecting galleries. At the corners of universe are four continents where human beings live which represented by four corner prangs.
The Main Prang rises in four receding tiers, after which the body takes in four small alcoves each contains a figure of God Indra mounted on the Erawan elephant. The prang top ending with the nopasul and the crown. The first tier have tree and flower in Chinese style. The second tier have niches containing kinon and kinari over which there is a row of demon bearers. The sides third tier have niches with kinon and kinari but the bearers are monkeys. The fourth tier have kinon and kinari but the bearers are brahma celestials. The bearers encircling the prang body over the alcoves are Vishnu on the garuda.
Four Corner Prangs These are smaller than the main prang and built in identical style, having kinon and kinari as the bottom row, next a row of monkey and demon bearers, next four niches holding a figure of wind god on a steed, next a row of garuda bearers, next a row of celestial bearers supporting the prang top, surmounted with the nopasul.
Four Side Mondop At the base has niches all round holding kinon and kinari alternately. Over the bottom row is a row of demon bearers on the north and south mondops and konthan bearers on the east and west mondops. Inside the mondops are contains the Buddha image in difference attitudes by King Rama V.
The Bot In front of the main entrance are statues of two demons, each 6 meters high, standing with both hands round a stout club. They are brick and stucco decorated with colored ceramics, made in the reign of King Rama III.
The gallery were built in the reign of King Rama II. The roof is covered with yellow and laef green glazed tiles. Entrance is by one of the doors found at the center of each side of the gallery. The east and main entrance is surmounted by a four gabled structure with three-tiered roofs, on the top is a decorated spire. The other three entrances all have gabled roofs with the gable-ends decorated with Vishnu on Garuda design against a background of flame motifs, gilded and lacquered work. Inside the wall are 120 plaster Buddha images of equal size in the attitude of subduing Mara. In front of the gallery are 144 stone figures of Chinese warriors and mandarin standing or mounted on various animals. Bronze elephants were guarded at the entrance. These elephants were cast in the reign of King Rama III in 1845 A.D. At the corner of the enclosure stands a Chinese pagoda with eight niches at the base and holding the Chinese stone figure as the eight sages.
Bot Noi Located in front of the great prang. The gable-ends are decorated with gilded flame motifs and colored glass. The principal Buddha image is a brick and plaster inside and covered with gilded lacquer work, in the attitude of subduing Mara. King Taksin the Great statue cast in 1945 A.D. is placed in this Bot Noi.
Vihan Noi It contains the chulamani chedi with the four earth protectors at the corners. The Emerald Buddha once housed in this Vihan Noi.
The Marker Stones are housed in small pavilions with a chedi top. These are double slab type with etched design. The area between the marker stone pavilions is filled with a row of Chinese lion stone to form the boundary walls of the bot.
The Bot has two tiered roof with the front and back gable-ends showing in carved wood the design of divinity inside his celestial abode. The outside placed a throne against the wall between the two front doors. On this throne placed a Buddha image was named Phra Puttha Narumit dedicated to King Rama II by King Rama IV. The principal Buddha image was named Phra Puttha Dhammikarat Lokanartdilok by King Rama IV. It was built by King Rama II, and is in the attitude of subduing Mara. The pedestal of the principal Buddha image was contained the ashes of King Rama II in the reign of King Rama IV. The mural paintings inside the bot were completed by King Rama III and were restored by King Rama V. The inward side of the window panels have designs of flowers and animal whereas the inward side of the door panels show the mythical tree known as makalipol.
The Vihan The roof is three-tiered with gable-ends showing a seated celestial on a background of flame motifs, glided lacquered and adorned with colored glass. The outer walls are decorated with ceramics from China. The principal Buddha image is named Phra Puttha Chumbhunut Mahaburut, cast in copper by King Rama III. The image is in the attitude of subduing Mara.
The Buddha’s Footprint in the mondop was built by King Rama III. The mondop has a square body crowned with a decorated spire.
Four Stupa was built by King Rama III. They are standing in a row, indented corners decorated with ceramics and colored glass in floral motifs.
Belfries Two belfries were built by King Rama V. One is an ordinary belfry but the other holds a thick round metal gong of about 60 centimeters diameter.
Small Pavilions are found standing on either side of the main east entrance to the bot enclosure. They were built for two devout Buddhists who burnt themselves.
Abbot’s Monument. A green sand stone casket found in a walled enclosure between the bot and the river holds the relics of a former abbot of the temple.
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