Wat Prayurawongsawat stands on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya River near the base of the Memorial Bridge, one of the most important royal temples of the early Rattanakosin period. Built in 1828 by Chaophraya Prayurawongse, one of the most powerful nobles of his era, the temple was later elevated to royal status and remains one of the finest examples of early 19th century Thai Buddhist architecture in the capital.
The temple is best known for Khao Mo — an artificial rocky hill constructed in the temple grounds from the leftover material when the main chedi was built. The hill is dotted with miniature chedis, small shrines and bonsai trees, creating a remarkable miniature landscape that served as a meditation garden. Around the base of the hill runs a moat populated by hundreds of turtles — released here by merit-makers over generations — giving the temple its informal name, Temple of the Tortoise Mountain.
The main white chedi is one of the largest in Bangkok, modelled on the great stupas of Sri Lanka and rising to a considerable height above the riverside. Its clean white form stands in striking contrast to the gilded prangs and multi-tiered roofs of most Bangkok temples, reflecting the influence of Ceylonese Buddhist architecture that came to Thailand through the Dhammayut reform movement.
The temple received UNESCO recognition for the restoration of its ordination hall — one of the earliest examples of international heritage conservation work in Thailand — and contains a collection of Buddha images spanning several centuries of Thai artistic tradition.
"Hundreds of turtles, a miniature mountain and a Sri Lankan-style stupa — one of Bangkok's most quietly extraordinary temples"
Historical Note
The artificial hill Khao Mo at Wat Prayurawongsawat set a fashion for decorative rocky gardens in Thai temple architecture that spread across the country during the 19th century. King Rama III was so impressed by the one here that he ordered similar constructions at several royal temples including Wat Pho, where a comparable garden of miniature mountains and medicinal herb labels was created as part of his programme of public education.