Wat Phra Kaew Postcard

The Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha; full official name Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram) is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. It is located within the grounds of the Grand Palace.

Wat Phra Kaew Postcard

The construction of the temple started when King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in 1785. Unlike other temples it does not contain living quarters for monks; rather, it has only the highly decorated holy buildings, statues, and pagodas. The main building is the central ubosoth, which houses the Emerald Buddha. The Temple also contains a model of Angkor Wat, added by King Nangklao (Rama III), as the Khmer empire of Cambodia and the Thais share cultural and religious roots.

SOURCE:
Wat Phra Kaew Wikipedia Entry