The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is purpose-built to house a figurine of the meditating Buddha seated in a yogic posture. Carved from a single solid piece of green jade and adorned with gold and diamonds, the statue is placed high above the heads of worshippers and tourists as a sign of respect.

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THAILAND'S MOST SACRED TEMPLE HOUSING ITS MOST PRECIOUS RELIGIOUS ICON

Beautiful courtyards surround the Emerald Buddha Temple, filled with countless majestic examples of exquisite royal architecture spanning centuries—a must-visit and a true pilgrimage site.
Please remember to act with reverence and courtesy during your visit.

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HISTORY OF THE EMERALD BUDDHA

For over 243 years, the Emerald Buddha has resided in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. However, its lineage stretches beyond both Bangkok and Thailand. Religious scholars observe that, with its particular meditative pose, the Emerald Buddha resembles images from Southern India and Sri Lanka, which are not typically found in traditional Thai sculpture.

Over the centuries, the statue traveled extensively throughout Asia. Various armies and kingdoms fought for ownership, as it was believed to bring prosperity and good fortune to whichever land housed it. The earliest history of the Emerald Buddha remains somewhat mysterious. Legend has it that the statue was originally moved from India to Sri Lanka, then to Cambodia (where it was kept at Angkor Wat), and eventually arrived in Thailand—residing in several provincial kingdoms that rose to prominence, including Ayutthaya, Lopburi, and Kamphaeng Phet.

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THE EMERALD BUDDHA IN CHIANG RAI PROVINCE

Historical records show that the Emerald Buddha was kept in Chiang Rai from 1391 to 1436. A stroke of fate added to its mystique: lightning struck a Buddhist shrine at Wat Pa Yeah, revealing what appeared to be a plaster Buddha. When the stucco on its nose crumbled away, the temple’s abbot discovered the precious Emerald Buddha hidden beneath—reportedly camouflaged to prevent theft by invaders.

As a result of this discovery, Wat Pa Yeah was renamed Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). (Please note that the temple and statue in Chiang Rai should not be confused with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok’s Grand Palace.)

During this period, Chiang Rai was under the rule of King Samfangkaen, who intended to move the revered statue to Chiang Mai—a larger city where more worshippers could pay homage. It was loaded onto a rare white elephant and sent out in a convoy. However, on three separate occasions, the elephant diverted its course to Lampang instead. Concluding that spiritual entities were guiding the Emerald Buddha to stay in Lampang, King Samfangkaen permitted it to remain there until 1468.

In the mid-16th century, King Tiloka of Chiang Rai brought the Emerald Buddha to Chiang Mai, placing it in the eastern niche of a large stupa at Wat Chedi Luang. Having no direct heirs, King Tiloka’s daughter married the King of Laos and gave birth to Prince Chaichettha. When King Tiloka passed away in 1551, the 15-year-old prince was invited to rule Chiang Mai, but he chose to return to Luang Prabang (then the capital of Laos), taking the Emerald Buddha with him. Although he promised to return it one day, he never did. In 1564, the Burmese King Bayinnaung drove Prince Chaichettha out of Luang Prabang, and the prince took the Emerald Buddha to Vientiane, the new capital of Laos.

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THE EMERALD BUDDHA IN BANGKOK

In 1778, King Taksin of Thailand defeated Laos and recovered the Emerald Buddha, enshrining it in Wat Arun in Thonburi, on Bangkok’s outskirts. When King Rama I established Bangkok as the new capital in 1782, he constructed a magnificent temple within the Grand Palace to house the Emerald Buddha. By 1785, the statue was moved to its permanent home at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace, where it has remained ever since.