Wat Intharawihan: Bangkok's Giant Standing Buddha

Updated on October 5, 2026

Wat Intharawihan, on the northern edge of Banglamphu, is home to Luang Pho To, a standing Buddha 32 metres high and 10 metres wide, one of the largest statues in Bangkok. Entry to the temple is free. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for a visit. The temple existed before the founding of the capital, under the name Wat Rai Phrik; King Rama I made it a place to hold prisoners of war. It took its present name after a restoration under Rama VI.

Highlights

Luang Pho To

The standing Buddha was begun in 1867 under Rama IV and finished in 1927, some sixty years of construction. It is made of brick and stucco, and was covered in 1982 with gilded Italian mosaic. In the evening, when it is lit, it can be seen from afar above the rooftops.

The relic in the topknot

A relic attributed to the Buddha, brought from Sri Lanka, is sealed in the statue's ushnisha (topknot); it was placed there in 1978 by Prince Vajiralongkorn, now King Rama X. In this 1963 photo, the statue is still without its gilded mosaic, added in 1982.

The Ayutthaya-style ubosot

The ordination hall, with its tiered roof and gilded gables, is in the Ayutthaya style.

The Guanyin shrine and the wax figure

The grounds also hold a shrine to Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara), the bodhisattva of compassion, and a wax figure of a former abbot, Phra Puttahachan.

Infos pratiques

Tips

Entry is free; a donation is welcome. Cover your shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes inside the halls. The Buddha photographs best from a distance: step back into the courtyard to get the whole statue in. The temple is not served by the metro or BTS: combine it with Wat Bowonniwet and the Bank of Thailand Museum, a few minutes away by tuk-tuk, or with Wat Benchamabophit. Our guide to the Dusit district suggests a route.

How to get there

144 Wisut Kasat Road, Bang Khun Phrom, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200. No metro or BTS station is close. The most pleasant way is the boat on the Chao Phraya to Phra Arthit or Thewet pier, then a taxi or tuk-tuk (1 to 1.5 km). From Khao San Road, allow 20 minutes on foot or a few minutes by taxi.