Aerial view of the Golden Mount and
Wat Ratchanaddaram
The Golden Mount
Stairs going up to the top of the
Golden Mount.
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Location Map
GPS : 13.7544785,100.5045611]
The
Golden Mount or Phukhao Thong is located in the
compound of Wat Srakes. It was built in the reign of
King Rama III, succeded in the reign of King Rama IV,
and completed in the reign of King Rama V.The top most
part is about 100 meters high, and the base is 500
meters in diameter.
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Interment of the Buddha Relic
On the first occasion, King Rama V
bought the Buddha Relic in the
custody of the Royal Chakri
family in grand procession from
the Grand Palace and installed
it in the Royal Pavillion of the
ceremony at Wat Srakes. Then
the Relic was interred in the
pagoda on the top of the Golden
Mount by His Majesty in 1877
(2420 B.E.) |
The second interment of the Buddha
Relic was done in the
following connection. In 1898, Peppe excavated a burial
mound (stupa) near Iprahwa on the Nepalese border, the
area believed to be the city of Kapilavastu, and discovered
buddha relics in an urn inscribed with ancient scripts. This
relic was believed to be the portion received by the Sakya
clan after the cremation of the Buddha's mortal remains.
At that time, Marquis Curzon was the viccroy of India.
As such Curzon decided to present the relic to King Rama V.
His Majesty sent Phraya Sukhum Naya-Winit (Chao Phraya
Yomaraj Pan Sukhum parien), as the Thai representative
to bring in the Buddha Relic. Then Buddhists from Japan,
Burma, Lanka, ans Siberia began to request for a share
of the Buddha Relic. His Majesty distributed the Relic
accordingly. The rest of the Relic was inserted into a
bronze pagoda casted by Royal Command. In 1899
(2442 B.E.) the pagoda was installed in a Royal Ceremony
on the top of the Golden Mount.
Click here to see more of Wat Srakes
See Map of
Rattanakosin |
