Wat Benchamabophit Dusitwanaram, known to foreign visitors as the Marble Temple, stands in the royal district of Dusit, north of the old city. In October 2026 it is open daily from 8am to 6pm, and admission costs THB 100 for foreign visitors. Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour for the visit. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) had the temple rebuilt from 1899, next to his new Dusit Palace; his half-brother, Prince Naris, designed the ubosot, completed in 1911.
Highlights
The Carrara marble ubosot
The ordination hall, built on a cruciform plan, is clad in white marble imported from Italy, under tiered roofs of orange tiles edged with gold. Two marble lions guard the entrance. The building blends traditional Thai forms with Western elements, such as the marble columns and the coloured stained-glass windows that filter the light in the manner of European churches.
The Phra Buddha Chinnarat
The main Buddha of the ubosot is a replica of the Phra Buddha Chinnarat of Phitsanulok, a masterpiece of the Sukhothai style, cast in 1901. The ashes of King Chulalongkorn are kept beneath its base.
The gallery of 52 Buddhas
The covered gallery around the courtyard behind the ubosot lines up 52 Buddha statues, originals and replicas in different styles (Dvaravati, Lopburi, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, but also India, Japan, Gandhara). Each piece has a label giving its style and origin.
The monks' alms round
Early in the morning, from about 6am to 7:30am, the temple's monks receive offerings from the faithful in front of the temple, on Nakhon Pathom Road. The scene can be watched from the street, before the temple opens to visitors.
The 5-baht coin
The façade of the ubosot appears on the reverse of the 5-baht coin. After your visit, the Dusit district makes for a walk to the Royal Plaza, with the equestrian statue of Rama V and the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, the former seat of Parliament, both seen from the outside.
Infos pratiques
Tips
Clothing covering the shoulders and knees is required: no tank tops, shorts or flip-flops, and you take off your shoes to enter the ubosot. The THB 100 admission fee applies to foreign visitors; entry is free for Thai nationals (prices checked in October 2026). The temple is fairly far from the other sights; you can pair it with the [Grand Palace](/fr/attractions/grand-palais-bangkok) and Wat Phra Kaew, the other great royal temple, or with the [Golden Mount at Wat Saket](/fr/attractions/wat-saket-mont-dore), about fifteen minutes away by taxi.
How to get there
Si Ayutthaya Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300. No metro station is close by: BTS Phaya Thai and MRT Sam Yot are about 2.5 km away as the crow flies, so you need to finish by taxi, tuk-tuk or Grab. Buses 72, 157, 503 and 510.
Opening hours
Nearby
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