Wat Ratchanatdaram, on the corner of Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue and Maha Chai Road, is home to the Loha Prasat, the "metal palace": a 36-metre building bristling with 37 metal spires, now gilded. King Rama III had it built from 1846 and dedicated the temple to his granddaughter, Princess Somanass Waddhanawathy. The Loha Prasat is modelled on two vanished buildings, in India and Sri Lanka: it is the only one of its kind still standing. The temple is a 10-minute walk from the Golden Mount and from Khao San Road: allow 45 minutes to an hour for the Loha Prasat, the ordination hall and the royal square next door.
Highlights
The Loha Prasat
The 37 spires stand for the 37 virtues that lead to Enlightenment in Buddhism. They are spread over three levels: 24 at the bottom, 12 in the middle and a single one at the top. Begun under Rama III, the building was only completed in the 20th century; work resumed in 1960 and relics of the Buddha were enshrined in it in 1995.
The ordination hall
Next to the Loha Prasat, the white-columned ubosot houses a large gilded seated Buddha surrounded by smaller images, beneath mural paintings. Take off your shoes at the entrance and keep quiet if a ceremony is under way.
Maha Chesadabodin Square
In front of the temple, the royal esplanade brings together the King Rama III monument and the Maha Chesadabodin pavilion, where distinguished guests were once welcomed. It is the best spot to photograph the Loha Prasat's spires as a whole.
The maze of columns
Inside, the ground floor forms a maze of corridors and pillars. A spiral staircase climbs floor by floor to the small room at the top, which houses the relics; the openings look out over the rooftops of the old city.
The amulet market
Along the temple, on the Maha Chai Road side, shops sell amulets and Buddha statuettes. It feels like a neighbourhood market, frequented mostly by Thai collectors.
Infos pratiques
Tips
Entry to the temple courtyard is free; the Loha Prasat visit is quoted at 20 baht for foreign visitors, asked for on site as a donation or a ticket depending on the period (no official website publishes this price). Cover your shoulders and knees and take off your shoes in the halls. The climb inside the Loha Prasat is by a narrow staircase, with no lift. The temple combines easily with [Wat Saket and the Golden Mount](/fr/attractions/wat-saket-mont-dore) and [Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing](/fr/attractions/wat-suthat-balancoire-geante). Prices checked in October 2026.
How to get there
Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan, Maha Chai Road, Phra Nakhon district, on the corner of Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue, near Phan Fa Lilat Bridge. Boat: the Khlong Saen Saep boat line ends at Phan Fa Lilat pier, a 2-minute walk away. Metro: the nearest MRT station is Sam Yot (Blue Line), about a 15-minute walk. On foot, allow 10 to 15 minutes from [Khao San Road](/fr/attractions/khao-san-road) along Ratchadamnoen Avenue; see also our guide to [Banglamphu and the old city](/fr/articles/banglamphu-vieille-ville-bangkok).
Opening hours
Nearby
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