Bangkok｜Wat Arun of the legendary monarch Taksin: the black magic and deification of urban legends

The Arun Temple on the banks of the Chao Phraya River is a popular tourist attraction and an important spot for internet beauties to take beautiful photos. The story of Wat Arun, which is beautiful both during the day and at night, starts with King Zheng. Taksin is one of the legendary kings in Thai history. After the fall of the Ayutthaya Dynasty, he led his troops to fight back against the Burmese invaders and rebuilt the Thonburi Dynasty. Rumor has it that he believed in spells and witchcraft, and even once stayed in a power attraction called the Temple in the Tree to obtain mysterious energy. Zheng Xin met a black magic princess, who not only made his army invincible, but also obtained the immortality spell, which allowed him to come back to life on the battlefield. But rumors are just rumors after all. After 15 years in power, he was said to have mental problems and often saw and heard hallucinations. He was eventually overthrown by his most trusted general and executed under mysterious circumstances. According to an urban legend in Thailand, some people can hear his voice at night in Wat Arun in Thonburi. Some believers also say that this is proof that King Taksin is blessing the people and the army. Putting aside the rural legends, the architecture of Wat Arun actually condenses religious imagery and construction techniques. The 82-meter-high main tower, Phapuram, is actually built with the image of Mount Sumeru, the center of the Buddhist universe. It has a square shape and the tower is stacked layer by layer. The first layer is dedicated to the wind god, the second layer is for the Yaksha, the next is for the monkey god, and the last layer symbolizes the heaven with a sculpture of Indra. The top of the tower is Lord Vishnu riding on the Garuda, which is full of Hindu colors and characteristics. Next time you visit, you may want to appreciate its perfect sculptures and stories layer by layer. 📍Address: 158 Thanon Wang Doem, Wat Arun, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok 10600 Thailand 🚗Take the subway to Itsaraphap Station, which is a ten-minute walk away. Take the Blue Flag boat and get off at Pier N8. #MarchGoodPlaces2025