Wat Pathum Wanaram is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

, Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

. It is located in the district Pathum Wan

Pathum Wan

Pathum Wan or Pathumwan is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. The district is bounded by six other districts : Ratchathewi , Watthana, Khlong Toei, Sathon, Bang Rak, Pom Prap Sattru Phai , and Dusit.-History:The district was established in 1914...

, between the two shopping malls Siam Paragon

Siam Paragon

Siam Paragon is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia. Opened on December 9, 2005, it includes a wide range of specialty stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater and the Siam Ocean World...

 and CentralWorld

CentralWorld

CentralWorld is a shopping plaza and complex in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the third largest shopping complex in the world. The complex, which includes a hotel and office tower, is owned by Central Pattana...

, and across the street of Siam Square

Siam Square

Siam Square is a shopping and entertainment area in the Siam District of Bangkok, Thailand. The area connects to other shopping centres and links to the other shopping districts by sky bridge, such as Siam Center/Siam Discovery Center, MBK Center, Siam Paragon, Ratchaprasong shopping district and...

.

The temple was founded in 1857 by King Mongkut

Mongkut

Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama IV, known in foreign countries as King Mongkut , was the fourth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851-1868...

 (Rama IV) as a place of worship near his Sa Pathum Palace. At the time of its founding the area was still only rice fields, only accessible via the Khlong Saen Saeb

Khlong Saen Saeb

Khlong Saen Saeb is a canal in central Thailand, connecting the Chao Phraya River to Prachin Buri and Chachoengsao. A portion of the canal is used for public transport by an express boat service in Bangkok...

. The temple is a third class royal temple of the Thammayut Nikaya order. The full name of the temple is Wat Pathum Wanaram Ratcha Wora Viharn (วัดปทุมวนารามราชวรวิหาร).

At the temple is the Phra Meru Mas, a reconstruction of the crematorium late Princess Mother

Srinagarindra

Srinagarindra was a member of the Thai Royal Family and was a member of House of Mahidol, which is descended from Chakri Dynasty, originated by Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, the Prince of Songkla, son of King Chulalongkorn...

 of Thailand. Following her cremation

Cremation

Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....

 at Sanam Luang in March 1996, her remains were transferred to these grounds in an elaborate procession. The crematorium is a rare example of ancient craftsmanship featuring ornate stencils and lacquered sculptures.

It represents Mount Meru, the heavenly abode of the gods.

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