The next Gaudi? Spectacularly strange White Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand
Posted on 26. Sep, 2012 by Dany in Photo Essay, Thailand
To call the The White Temple aka Wat Rong Khun ‘unconventional’ is the understatement of the century. Located just outside of Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand, this temple experience is the closest thing you could ever come to hallucinating sober. This is a modern temple, completely unorthodox and creatively crazy. Elements of pop culture merge with images of devils, aliens and the pits of hell show how inclusive the creator of the temple has attempted to be.
Construction began in the late 1990s, but areas of the facade are still blank slates ready to be covered. No matter how that turns out, the white temple is unlike any Buddhist temple in the world. In fact, although worshippers come here daily, this is more of an elaborate art project than a devotion to the Buddha.
The temple was designed by popular contemporary Thai artist Chaloemchai Khositphiphat. Aware of how rare his project would be, Khositphiphat was prepared for the work to take years to finish, likening the project to Gaudi’s work in Spain. It’s been 14 years since the project started, so regardless of the comparison being slightly arrogant, it would appear to be true. Some of the work is beautiful, other aspects are disturbing to say the least.
At the entrance there are two ‘demons’ right and left depicting the sinful addictions of the human being: alcohol and cigarettes.
Before entering the actual complex, you must pass two trees with dozens of heads hanging down – some just weird-looking, others creepy. (Jess saw this guy with the snake coming out of his eye in her dreams for a few nights after we were there!)
The temple is reached by a long ornate bridge with mosaics and two scary sculptures at the beginning of it:
Before you even get there though, you must cross a little pond loaded with hungry fish, followed by what we found to be the most fascinating element of all – hundreds of clay hands desperately reaching out of the pit under the bridge, some holding skulls, others holding pots for alms. Known as the ‘Pit of Hell’ these hands represent people trying to escape. Not your average entrance to a Buddhist temple…
The bridge represents a crossing over to the Abode of Buddha from the cycle of rebirth. The semi-circle seen in the image below represents the human world. The fangs in the larger circle represent the mouth of Rahu, meaning impurities in the mind, a representation of hell or suffering.
Around the pond there are more creepy sculptures, like a fish eating a human hand…
The main temple building, the ubosot, is entirely white to symbolize the Buddha’s purity, with white sculptures at the entrance and mosaics to decorate the figures on each side of the temple.
Pictures are prohibited once inside the temple, but let us paint you a picture: The Buddha faces the back wall, which is painted orange and depicts a bizarre combination of scenes straight from American life: Spiderman, Superman, Alien, Star Wars, cell phones, computers, McDonald’s, Neo from The Matrix movies, Bin Laden and George W. Bush, plus the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers. Not what you would expect inside a temple! Even parts of the small main temple were unfinished, so we can only imagine what type of images will be added to mix!
Once through the temple out into the back part of the grounds, another pond and another white bridge leads to a bright white pagoda.
The gardens around the temple are filled with tiny details, such as these skulls that covered the fences:
A yet to be finished gazebo, also bright white, with fantastically detailed animal sculptures on top:
Once it is completely finished, there will be nine buildings: the ubosot, the hall containing Lord Buddha’s relics, the hall containing Buddha images, the preaching hall, the contemplation hall, the monk’s cell, the door façade of the Buddhavasa, the art gallery and the bathrooms.
And look at these golden bathrooms – have you ever seen such fancy toilets?!
How to get there: The temple is located in Ban Rong Khun, about 13 kilometres south-west of Chiang Rai. Public buses (40 Baht) leave regularly from the bus station in Chiang Rai, just ask someone what gate the buses to Wat Rong Khun are leaving from. The ride takes around 20 minutes.
You could visit in an hour or so, but plan in some time to take in all the little details that you will see the closer and longer you look.
Keep up with us! Get monthly updates, stories we don't share on the blog, future travel plans, plus we'll answer reader questions and arrange some pretty sweet travel giveaways, too!
26 Responses to “The next Gaudi? Spectacularly strange White Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
-
-
December 7, 2012
[...] hordes of turtles crawl out of the sea to lay their eggs, and a visit to the spectacularly strange White Temple of Chiang Rai in Thailand. They also cover issues affecting gay and lesbian travellers, and their series of On a [...]
Leave a Reply
Follow Us
The GlobetrotterGirls: About Us
We are Dani and Jess, a German-American lesbian couple who decided semi-spontaneously to take our work on the road and travel the world in April 2010. Digital Nomads, Street Food Junkies, House-sitters, Vegetarians, Street Art & Photography Lovers, Hotel Enthusiasts. Find out more about us here
Cam @ Traveling Canucks
26. Sep, 2012
Fantastic! Great photos. What a peculiar place to worship?!
Cam @ Traveling Canucks recently posted..Luzern, Switzerland – We Love Surprises
Dani
27. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Cam! It’s definitely peculiar!!
Steph (@ 20 Years Hence)
26. Sep, 2012
This is so amazingly bizarre, I absolutely must see this when Tony & I make it to Thailand! After a while in Asia, you feel a bit “templed” out so this would certainly be a great palate cleanser!
Dani
27. Sep, 2012
Steph – yes, definitely go there! I don’t think there’s any other temple like the White Temple, and even if you’re templed out you will enjoy this one for sure
Kate
27. Sep, 2012
Wow — that is one strange temple. Can you imagine seeing that when you were a kid? I think I would have nightmares for the rest of my life.
Kate recently posted..Calling All Bloggers: Be part of my Favorite Places e-book series
Dani
27. Sep, 2012
Kate – I think I also would’ve been pretty disturbed by that experience had I visited the temple as a kid
Ashley of Ashley Abroad
27. Sep, 2012
Wow! I love your photos. It’s really beautiful but some of the statues were terrifying.
Ashley of Ashley Abroad recently posted..The 10 Most Crazy Delicious Foods You Must Eat in Paris
Dani
27. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Ashley.. yes I can totally see some of the kids having nightmares after their visit!!
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista
27. Sep, 2012
How very interesting this is! I can see you’re comparison to Gaudi. This temple is rather macbre but so very interesting. it would take a long time to take in all the details.
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Gods, Porn and Generals in Rostock
Dani
27. Sep, 2012
Hi Debbie, the inside of the temple was definitely macabre (IMHO) – the drawings of Bin Laden and all that were quite disturbing. But I guess that’s what a modern interpretation of a Buddhist Temple is allowed to be..
Allison
28. Sep, 2012
This place looks amazing, I need to go! Thanks for sharing your pictures
Dani
28. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Allison – I highly recommend a visit to Chiang Rai, not just for the White Temple
We had a great time there.
Amanda
28. Sep, 2012
I want to visit this place SO badly. I never tire of seeing photos of it – it’s just so weird!!
Amanda recently posted..In Photos: Glass Lanterns in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar
Dani
29. Sep, 2012
I am sure that you’d love it, Amanda, and take countless photos
It is really weird, but beautiful at the same time!
Lane
30. Sep, 2012
Bizarre, unique and sometimes disturbing. Great stuff! Is everything covered in clay? Some marble? Stucco?
Lane recently posted..Sand Dunes in Colorado?
Dani
30. Sep, 2012
Lane – it’s mostly made of white stucco. I hope we’ll get to go back one day and see the temple when it’s finally 100 % finished.
Arianwen
30. Sep, 2012
This place is insane! I really wish I’d known about it when I was in Thailand. So many of those pictures are going to give me nightmares. You have to wonder how the hell a project like this gets approval!
Arianwen recently posted..Plight of the giant tortoise
Dani
30. Sep, 2012
Well, it definitely put Chiang Rai on the radar of many tourists who would’ve skipped it before the White Temple had opened
I hope you won’t have any nightmares, Arianwen!
Reena @ Wanderplex
03. Oct, 2012
This is just so cool-looking, and it definitely makes for a refreshing change after seeing so many similar temples.
Reena @ Wanderplex recently posted..The Plain of Jars
Audrey | That Backpacker
06. Oct, 2012
I want to visit this place so bad! I recently made a list of the things I want to see and do in Thailand, and visiting this temple is right up there.
Audrey | That Backpacker recently posted..Inside My Korean Apartment
Dani
06. Oct, 2012
Awesome – it’s definitely worth being on a list of Must-See places in Thailand! Hope you’ll enjoy your time there, Audrey
Sacha & Jmayel
07. Oct, 2012
We just came back from Chiang Rai a few days ago…this place is definitely worth a visit!
Great posts & photos
Dani
08. Oct, 2012
Thanks Sacha & Jmayel! Great to hear that you had a good time in Chiang Rai, too
Kathryn
15. Nov, 2012
How wonderously bizarre! I would dearly love to see this for myself one day.
Dani
16. Nov, 2012
Kat – I hope you’ll get to see the White Temple one day, it is truly spectacular!