Named after a monastery in India where Buddha is believed to have lived, Wat Pho (known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. Prior to the temple's founding, the site was a centre of education for traditional Thai medicine, and statues were created showing yoga positions. An enormous Buddha image from Ayuthaya's Wat Phra Si Sanphet was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767; King Rama I (1782-1809 A.D.) incorporated its fragments to build a temple to enlarge and renovate the complex. The temple was restored and extended in the reign of King Rama III, and was restored again in 1982. It is also known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.
Read more »