(This is just a short burst of pictures of a temple and a very large Buddha image on Phuket Island...Enjoy)
Wat Chaiyathararam
Of the 29 temples on the island of Phuket, the largest and most revered is Wat Chaiyathararam, more commonly known as Wat Chalong. The temple was built in 1837 CE. Several buildings are in the temple including a viharn (assembly hall), a mondop (a structure typically used to house scripture or objects used in ceremonies), an ubosot (ordination hall), sala (open pavilion), crematorium and a chedi/stupa.
The Phra Mahathat Chedi at the wat houses a bone fragment of the Buddha on the top floor. On the floors below there is a mesmerizing array of statues of the Buddha in different positions of daily life and murals depicting the phases of the Buddha’s life. This temple is among my favorites in Thailand.
Big Buddha
At the southern part of Phuket is Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakiri, more commonly known as the Big Buddha. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2014. The image is 45 meters (148 feet) tall, 25.45 meters (83.5 feet) wide and was built at a cost of 30 million Thai Baht. The huge image of the Buddha is constructed of reinforced concrete covered with white Burmese jade marble.
At the southern part of Phuket is Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakiri, more commonly known as the Big Buddha. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2014. The image is 45 meters (148 feet) tall, 25.45 meters (83.5 feet) wide and was built at a cost of 30 million Thai Baht. The huge image of the Buddha is constructed of reinforced concrete covered with white Burmese jade marble.
