"City of Angels" or "City Given by the Gods" — this is how the name of Thailand's capital is literally translated. Therefore, it is not surprising that Bangkok has more than 400 temples. Especially notable among them is the Marble Monastery Wat Benchamabophit, or the "Temple of the Fifth King," built in 1900.
This abode was erected by order of King Rama V (Chulalongkorn), who in his youth, following the laws of Buddhism, settled for several months in a neighboring monastery and was delighted by the local beauty.
There is no white marble in Thailand, so the building material for the monastery was ordered all the way from Italy! The style of the abode is eclectic and partly reflects European traditions, which is why Wat Benchamabophit is often called a symbol of the union of the worlds of East and West.
In the monastery's inner courtyard there are 50 statues of Buddha, frozen in different poses — they embody styles of iconography and the development of religion. This abode is given special value by the fact that the ashes of Rama V are kept on its grounds.
