If the snow queen had a residence in Thailand, it would probably be Wat Rong Khun or, as it is also called, the white temple. This amazing, beautiful, amazing (we can continue indefinitely) place is located a few kilometers from the northern city of Thailand Chiang Rai. Already driving along the highway, you can see the snow-white tops of the temple complex shimmering in the sun. Airy, like sea foam, buildings attract the eye and attract like a magnet. And already at the entrance, curious tourists understand that they didn’t come in vain - something completely special awaits them here.
Wat Rong Khun
Imagine a mixture of Thai architecture, sculpture, Buddhist symbolism and contemporary surrealism. Paint it all white, add a mirrored mosaic inlay, and set it against the piercing turquoise of a tropical sky. This is how, briefly, one can describe the appearance of the white temple in Chiang Rai.
This is a truly unique place, striking in its appearance, and concealing a deep hidden meaning. There is not a single random feature or superfluous detail that stands out from the general philosophy. Absolutely everything here, from the main buildings and sculptural groups to fences and rubbish bins, is created in a single author's style and carries a certain semantic load.
The White Temple is not an ordinary place for worshiping the Buddha and religious rites. Rather, even to say: quite unusual. Basic hallmark Vata, of course, is the white color and the inlay of small mirrors, which symbolize the purity and wisdom of the Buddha. But, besides the usual statues of a saint and heroes of Buddhist mythology, visitors are surprised to find here a reflection of modern world art.
The main building of the temple is located in the middle of the pond. Huge black fish or white and golden carps swim lazily in its waters or lie at the bottom. On the banks of the reservoir and in the middle of it are statues of Buddha, mythical heroes and surreal sculptures in the spirit of the works of Salvador Dali.
In order to get to the temple, visitors must first go through a small semicircle, symbolizing the human world, then a path laid through a forest of white human hands, representing Hell and the path to happiness through opposition to human passions. The sight is a little creepy, but impressive. Then follows the bridge, which is a symbol of rebirth. Its entrance is served by two giant fangs - the mouth of Rahu, after which the demons of Rahu, who control life and death, menacingly look at the visitors. Having crossed the bridge through the gates of heaven, a person enters the abode of the Buddha, and, in the language of Christians, to paradise.
The decoration of the temple even more impresses its visitors. Instead of traditional Buddhist frescoes depicting the existence of the Buddha, mythical heroes, demons and symbols of virtue, the walls are decorated with paintings similar to the works of Hieronymus Bosch or Salvador Dali, as if they lived in Thailand today. There you can find a stylized image of the twin towers of New York, into which planes crash, Superman, Spider-Man, Avatar flying on Uryuk Makto, Neo from the Matrix, Predator and other heroes of modern cinema. Moreover, all this surprisingly coexists with images inherent in traditional Thai painting. These intricate paintings depict the manifestation of good and evil in the modern world and encourage us to think about our future. Each work is not considered complete and is constantly updated with new characters. Also in the temple there are walls that are just waiting for the artist's brush to touch them.
Opposite the entrance, right under the Buddha statue, sits a meditating monk dressed in traditional orange robes. According to one version - this is an embalmed mummy, according to another - a wax doll.
To the left of the main temple, several more buildings were built: a gazebo, a library, a gallery and ... a toilet. The latter contrasts sharply with all other buildings. Striking with skillful carvings and airy decorative elements, it is completely painted in gold. While the white color of the entire complex symbolizes the mind and purity of the Buddha's teachings, the golden color of this completely earthy structure symbolizes the body.
Near the gazebo there are several trees, on which for 30 baht you can hang a piece of foil with your desire.
But the most amazing feature of Wat Rong Khun is that it is the product of the imagination of just one author - the Thai artist painter Chalemchaya Kositpipat. He builds a temple on his own land solely with funds received from the sale of his works. Mr. Kositpipat refuses any sponsorship investments so that the flight of his fantasy is not limited by any material obligations.
The history of the creation of the white temple
The construction of the white temple began in the 97th, and its completion was planned by 2008. However, the popularity that Wat has gained among tourists from all over the world has become an occasion to make the project even more grandiose. To date, Chalemchai Kositpipat has planned work for 50-80 years. He wants to build until his death, and hopes that then his work will be continued by followers and students. The author's dream is to build the most beautiful Buddhist temple in the world, under whose arches thousands of people will practice meditation and praise the Buddha.
Architect and artist Chalemchai Kositpipat
It is hard to believe that quite recently, now obvious to everyone, the genius of Chalemchaya Kositpipat was not wanted to be recognized in Thai society. Known for intricate paintings that combine traditional Thai art with symbols modern culture, the artist has long irritated the Thai public.
Chalemchai was born on February 15, 1955 in the small village of Ban Rong Khun in the northern province of Thailand, Chiang Rai.
From an early age, he was fond of drawing, and, years later, began to study art at Bangkok's Silpakorn University (Silpakorn). In 1977, Chalemchai received a bachelor's degree in painting, and already at that time he began to show a clear craving for a mixture of modern and Buddhist art, which caused hostility among many religious and political figures. However, despite anyone's opinion, Chalemchay continued to go his own way and from the 80th year of the last century exhibited his works at numerous exhibitions in Europe, Asia and America.
After Mr. Kositpipat painted the walls of the Buddhapadipa Buddhist temple in London in his peculiar style, a wave of criticism again fell upon his head, which stopped only after the King of Thailand himself recognized Chalemchaya's talent, having bought several works from him.
To date, many of Kositpipat's paintings are in royal palace and closed to public attention. And the fact that at the auction of Thai art in the 98th year in the house of Christie one of his works went under the hammer for 17.5 thousand dollars, clearly indicates that the artist has received worldwide recognition.
It was with the proceeds from the sale of his paintings that Chalemchai Kositpipat purchased a plot in his native village. There, to this day, he is building the temple of his dreams, which delights and excites the minds of millions of tourists from all over the world for more than ten years.
Opening hours and prices
The White Temple is open to visitors daily from 6:30 to 18:00. The Wat Museum of Paintings, where you can buy the artist's works or their reproductions, is open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:00. Entrance is absolutely free, but you should remember that photography is strictly prohibited inside the temple.
How to get to the white temple
You can get to this amazing structure by driving 13 km south of the center of Chiang Rai along Highway No. 118. You can do this by songteo or by rented transport.
Wat Rong Khun from the province of Chiang Rai is far from the oldest and largest temple in Thailand. It does not contain great Buddhist relics. There are no crowds of pilgrims here. Strictly speaking, it's not even completed yet. However, it is one of the most recognizable temples in the country and one of the main tourist attractions in the northern part of the kingdom.
Among travelers, Wat Rong Khun is better known as the "White Temple". The name, as you might guess, comes from the dazzling white color in which it is completely painted on the outside. This unique color scheme for Thai temple architecture is its main calling card.
Another feature that makes Wat Rong Khun stand out from the rest of Thailand's 33,000 Buddhist temples is its non-canonical iconography. Along with the traditional symbols of Buddhism, among the elements of its decor, one can be surprised to find the “stars” of Western mass culture like Neo from the movie “The Matrix”, the Schwarzenegger T-800 terminator, and even angry birds from a computer game that made a splash in the recent past.
Wat Rong Khun is the most unusual temple in Thailand.
Such an unexpected eclecticism for a religious building, as well as an unusual snow-white color, the White Temple is entirely indebted to its creator, the Thai artist Charlemchai Kositpipat.
Artist, Buddhist, philanthropist
In a sense, the eccentric Mr. Kositpipat himself is one of the features of Wat Rong Khun. He is the sole author of this project, the main creation of his life. Nothing in the White Temple is done without his knowledge; everything here, from the first to the last detail, was invented by him and built exclusively with his personal money.
The biography of Kositpipat is that rare case when one can say that the artist himself painted his own life. He was born on February 15, 1955 in one of the small Thai villages in the province of Chiang Rai. His family, which was poor even by the modest standards of the Thai wilderness, was looked down upon by fellow villagers. It was then that Charlemchai had a desire to escape from the provincial poverty of his small homeland and become rich and famous.
The passion for drawing, which had owned him since childhood, helped to do this. Deciding to become a professional artist, he left for Bangkok and entered one of the metropolitan universities.
Living in a big city, the future creator of the White Temple began to think about life paths other people, trying to understand why some artists become rich and successful, while others do not. Carefully analyzing the works of famous masters and noticing what made their creations great, he tried to apply what he found in his paintings.
The efforts were not in vain, and the work of Kositpipat himself began to be popular. By 1978, when Charlemchai graduated from university with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, he was already earning money from his paintings.
Gradually, national fame and success came to him, and he became the most famous artist of his country. Among his wealthy clients was even King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand himself. This, however, was not enough for Kositpipat. He wanted the whole world to talk about him.
This desire came true with the construction of the White Temple.
Piety and ambition
All the work of Charlemchai, starting from the first student works, has always been somehow connected with Buddhism. With age, his commitment to the Buddhist creed only grew. Therefore, when he learned that one of the old temples in his native province of Chiang Rai was completely dilapidated, and the local authorities did not have money to repair it, he decided to personally take on its restoration. And at the same time turn it into the most ambitious art project of my life.
By that time, the 42-year-old Kositpipat was already an established artist and a very wealthy person who could afford to carry out construction exclusively with his own money. This allowed Charlemchai to avoid any outside influence and to embody all his ideas exactly. And there was no shortage of them.
Traditions plus the author's approach
Kositpipat started building the White Temple in 1997. He approached the matter not only creatively, as befits an artist, but also radically. From the old temple, only its former name, Wat Rong Khun, remained, and everything else was invented and rebuilt from scratch.
It must be said that the word “wat” in Thailand does not refer to any separate building, but to the whole temple complex. Therefore, Wat Rong Khun is correctly understood not as a single standing temple, but as a single architectural ensemble. It, according to the project, includes nine buildings. The construction and finishing of most of them are still not finished.
It is believed that work at Wat Rong Khun will continue for at least half a century.
The Wat Rong Khun temple complex includes nine buildings. Most of them are white. The entire temple complex is a strange mixture of traditional Thai architecture and the imagination of Charlemchai Kositpipat himself. As conceived by the artist, every detail of Wat Rong Khun should carry a certain symbolic meaning and prompt visitors to the temple to think about Buddhism.
Thus, the white color of most of the buildings of Wat Rong Khun symbolizes the purity of Buddhist doctrine, as well as the primacy of the spiritual principle in a person over his base bodily needs. The effect of snow-whiteness is enhanced by pieces of mirrors, with which, like a mosaic, all elements of the external decor are generously laid out. They are meant to portray the sparkling wisdom of Buddhism.
The most important building and the “face” of the entire complex is the snow-white ubosot (in Thailand, this is the name given to the central structure of the wat, which houses the Buddha statue and where prayers and basic religious ceremonies are performed). It is he who attracts most attention tourists and flaunts in most of the photographs taken at Wat Rong Khun.
A magnificent bridge leads to the ubosoth, in front of which hands reach out in a semicircle from under the ground in silent despair. They symbolize the vain pursuit of a person for momentary pleasures and attempts to quench unquenchable passions. All this, according to Buddhist ideas, gives rise to suffering, which can be eliminated only by renouncing earthly attachments and desires. Only then does a person begin his spiritual growth and get a chance to gain nirvana - the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
Hands outstretched upward as a symbol of earthly passions and desires. Bypassing earthly passions and vices, the visitor begins to climb the bridge leading to the ubosot. Passage along it is a symbol of overcoming samsara, the cycle of earthly rebirths, and its top point is the sacred Mount Meru, the mythical center of the Buddhist universe. In accordance with the mythology, in which the mountain is surrounded by sea waters, a small pond is broken under the bridge.
After crossing the bridge, tourists find themselves in front of the entrance to the ubosot. Its three roof levels, traditional for the Buddhist temple architecture of Thailand, symbolize wisdom, concentration and religious precepts. The decoration of the temple, thought out to the smallest detail, is striking.
Inside, the ubosot is decorated with wall paintings made in the author's style of Charlemchai Kositpipat, for which he had previously been criticized by traditionalists.
In 1988-1992, he and another artist painted the walls of the first Thai Buddhist wat in the UK called Buddhapadipa (located in Wimbledon, a southwestern suburb of London). Then, with their light hand, Margaret Thatcher and Mother Teresa appeared on the walls of the temple among the scenes of Buddhist myths, and at the same time the images of the authors themselves.
Not everyone liked the innovative approach, and at first the experimenters were criticized a lot - from the Thai government to other Thai artists and the monks themselves. But gradually the passions subsided, and they got used to the "unformatted" frescoes.
Several years passed, and when designing Wat Rong Khuna, Kositpipat once again decided to give free rein to his imagination. And this time he sent the canons of Buddhist iconography on an even more unrestrained creative flight. Along with the usual images and techniques of temple painting, Charlemchai as the personification of vices modern society used characters from Western popular culture. Therefore, on the inner walls of the ubosoth, you can see, for example, Freddy Krueger, the Alien and the terrorist attack on the New York twin towers, as well as, for some reason, Harry Potter and Spiderman.
All covered in gold, absolutely all... the toilet of Wat Rong Khun. Another non-standard creative move of Charlemchai is a large, luxuriously finished and generously gilded ... toilet. According to the author's idea, such a deliberately chic design of a banal toilet should show the futility of a person's pursuit of material wealth and excessive passion for perishable values to the detriment of spiritual development.
Black Day of the White Temple
Starting the construction of the White Temple, Charlemchai Kositpipat was full of enthusiasm and determination to complete it at all costs. However, there was a moment when he almost gave up everything, almost putting an end to the history of Wat Rong Khun.
The artist's hands fell on May 5, 2014, when at 18:08 local time the temple was seriously damaged by an earthquake of magnitude 6.3. Costpipat, who by then had spent almost 20 years of his life and over 40 million Thai baht of personal money on its construction, was close to despair.
After the first examination of the damage received, a dejected Charlemchai told the press that he would not restore the temple, and all its buildings would be demolished for safety reasons. However, immediately after that, words of support from all over the world rained down on him. He received hundreds of phone calls. People urged him not to leave the White Temple, which, in their opinion, had already become the artistic heritage of the whole world.
Assistance was also offered by the Thai government, which immediately sent a team of engineers to Wat Rong Khun to assess the extent of the damage. Their verdict was more than encouraging: the supporting structures and foundations did not suffer critical damage, and the buildings of the temple complex could be restored.
In addition, the Armed Forces and universities of the country promised to help with working hands. Many individuals and organizations also expressed their readiness to provide assistance.
Bridge in front of the ubosot. Visible mirror mosaic. Encouraged by the conclusions of the commission and flattered by the support received, Mr. Kositpipat immediately perked up. On the morning of May 7, he promised that he would restore the White Temple in the next two years, and some buildings would be reopened to tourists the very next day. In addition, the artist explained his first statement about the closure of the temple as a deliberate step. So he allegedly wanted to check whether his work was really important to people and the state.
Currently, work at Wat Rong Khun is ongoing. The author of the project is determined to restore exactly all the wall paintings and decor elements destroyed by the earthquake. In the meantime, due to restoration measures, tourists are temporarily prohibited from taking photos inside the temple.
Wat Rong Khun temple complex is located 13 kilometers southwest of Chiang Rai city. A taxi ride to him will take about twenty minutes and will cost 250 - 300 baht. Public transport (minibus) will cost much less (20 baht), while the travel time will hardly increase and will be about half an hour.
Clothing for visiting the temple should be chosen appropriately. It shouldn't be too open. Bare legs will be especially reprehensible.
Wat Rong Khun is open daily and admission is free. You can support the construction by making a donation, but it should not exceed 10,000 baht, as the artist does not want to fall under the influence of wealthy sponsors. An analogue of a donation will be the purchase of one of the author's paintings by Charlemchai Kositpipat, which are sold in the gallery at the temple.
In general, Wat Rong Khun is very popular with foreign tourists who are brought here by whole buses. Therefore, it is usually quite crowded here. There are also many Thais, but they mostly come on weekends or on holidays.
In the afternoon, when tourists leave, there are much fewer people.
Golden cage for Rajput aristocrats
The history of the emergence of one of the main architectural masterpieces of North India - Jaipur's Hawa Mahal Palace - began long before its actual construction in 1799. Like other cultural features of the region, this building is the result of many centuries of opposition and difficult convergence between Hindu and Islamic traditions. In this sense, Hawa Mahal goes back to the events that began in the 8th century, when Northern India first faced the threat of Muslim expansion.
As you know, at its initial stages, the Indians were lucky. For a long time they managed to successfully repel all the attempts of the newcomers to gain a foothold east of the Indus. However, from the end of the 12th century, various Islamic rulers, despite desperate Indian resistance, nevertheless began to move deep into the subcontinent.
Each step was given advancing with great difficulty. The Rajputs, representatives of different ethnic groups from the varna of Kshatriya warriors, resisted the invaders especially stubbornly. Their small principalities turned out to be a tough nut to crack for Muslims and delayed the Islamic seizure of Indian lands for a long time.
View of the upper two floors of Hawa Mahal from the inside of the building. The Rajput states of the present Indian state of Rajasthan defended their freedom for the longest time with weapons in their hands. Only the mighty Mughal empire was able to turn them into its vassals, but even under the all-powerful Mughal rule, the militant Rajputs rebelled more than once.
Cultural exchange
Despite centuries of enmity, Rajput-Mughal relations were not limited to military conflicts alone. Over the long years of coexistence, representatives of the upper classes of the Rajputs adopted some of their traditions from their overlords. In particular, women from aristocratic Rajput families eventually began to observe purdah, a custom of female seclusion, Muslim in origin. In addition, the Rajputs borrowed many features of their architecture from the Mughals.
The arcades and domes of the Hawa Mahal clearly testify to the Mughal influence on Rajput architecture. It was as a peculiar result of these borrowings that in 1799 a remarkable monument of Indian architecture called Hawa Mahal appeared.
The main symbol of Jaipur
Hawa Mahal is located in Jaipur, the famous Pink City of India, which was founded on November 18, 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II as the new capital of his ancient Rajput principality. Today, this noisy three millionth city is the main city of the largest Indian state - hot and deserted Rajasthan.
Jaipur owes its poetic second name to the color of the sandstone from which its historic center was built. It is here, in the heart of the old city, that the most popular attraction and symbol of Jaipur is located - the Hawa Mahal Palace.
This beautiful five-story building tapering upwards was built in 1799 by the grandson of the founder of Jaipur, Maharaja Pratap Singh. It is believed that the Hawa Mahal was erected in the form of the crown of the god Krishna, to whom the Maharaja was very devoted. The palace harmoniously combines Hindu and Mughal architectural traditions, being a true embodiment of Rajput architecture.
Like the rest of the buildings in the historic center of the city, Hawa Mahal is built of red sandstone. In addition, on the outside it is painted in soft pink, beautifully accentuated with white canvas and patterns.
The most recognizable feature of the Hawa Mahal is the special jharoka balconies that adorn each of the five floors of the building's main façade. They are elegantly decorated with decorative domed canopies and covered with openwork carved screens with tiny windows.
The "comb" of the five-story main facade of the Hawa Mahal is 15 meters high. Despite this, it has very thin walls: their thickness is only 20 centimeters. Jharokas are one of the most characteristic features of Rajput architecture. Interestingly, with all their aesthetic merits, they were not just elements of the artistic decoration of a building, but were built with a clear practical purpose.
Life imprisonment in Rajput
As already mentioned, under the rule of the Great Mughals, the highest aristocracy of Hindu Rajputs adopted the Islamic tradition of purdah. According to her, women of noble Rajput houses were forbidden to appear in front of strangers. In essence, this meant that they were doomed to be locked up for the rest of their lives. The only "interaction" with the outside world for them came down to passive observation of urban everyday life. For this, the closed jharoka balconies characteristic of Rajput architecture were invented, which came in handy during the construction of the Hawa Mahal.
The intricately decorated outer wall of the Hawa Mahal contrasts sharply with the unpretentious appearance of its rear façade, which (like the interior of the building) is quite simple and almost devoid of decorations. The fact is that Hawa Mahal is directly adjacent to the women's wing of the huge City Palace complex. For the aristocrats who lived there from the princely house of the Maharaja of Jaipur, it was built. Each of the women in the Hawa Mahal was assigned a small personal room, closed from prying eyes by the jharoka. Being there, the mistress of the room could quietly observe the forbidden street life of the city.
natural conditioner
In addition to the Rajput balconies, an interesting feature of the Hawa Mahal is its ability to easily let cool outside air pass through it. For this, he, in fact, got his name, which translates as "Palace of the Winds."
Valuable for sultry Rajasthan, the property of self-cooling appeared at Hawa Mahal thanks to its special flat layout. Of the palace's five floors, the top three are only one room thick, allowing the wind to roam freely throughout the building. In addition, earlier the natural air conditioning system was supplemented with fountains.
The unusual palace of Hawa Mahal with its openwork jharok balconies is very popular with tourists. Jaipur is well connected to the rest of India by road and rail and has an international airport nearby, so there are always a lot of both local and foreign visitors.
Since the Hawa Mahal was a kind of iron curtain between the women of the princely house and the outside world, it has no entrance from the main facade. Everyone who had the right to enter here did so from the territory of the City Palace. Today, to get inside, you need to bypass the Hawa Mahal on the left.
The palace does not have the usual stairs to climb to the upper floors. Instead, special ramps are arranged. Passing through the majestic entrance gate, the visitor finds himself in a spacious courtyard, surrounded on three sides by two-story buildings. On the fourth side is the Hawa Mahal itself, closing the courtyard from the east. Tourists can climb to the very top of the building and enjoy beautiful views of the city. From above, for example, the famous Jantar-Mantar observatory and the City Palace are perfectly visible.
There is also a small archaeological museum in Hawa Mahal. The miniature paintings on display here and rich exhibits like ceremonial armor will help visitors to relive images of the distant Rajput past in their imagination.
Hawa Mahal is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The best time to visit is in the early morning, when the Palace of the Winds looks especially stunning, exuding an orange-pink glow in the golden rays of the rising sun.
Entrance fee for adult foreigners is 50 Indian rupees; students pay twice as much. Guide services will cost 200 rupees, audio guide for English language- at 110.
Quick guide for travelers
This is the final part of the project prepared website articles about the features of ancient Egyptian temples. The previous two talked about them, as well as about. This time we will talk about the difficult fate of the temples of Ancient Egypt, and those of them that are best preserved to this day will be briefly listed.
At the zenith of glory and power
The biographies of the ancient Egyptian "houses of god" developed differently both during the time of the pharaohs and after the time of their power remained in the distant past. Some temples fell into decay and disappeared even in the heyday of Egyptian statehood, others were destined to survive more than one foreign invasion and become silent witnesses of the final decline of the civilization that gave birth to them.
Without exception, all the Egyptian kings tried to build and maintain temples in every possible way. Each pharaoh tried to surpass his predecessors in this, since it was believed that inattention to the cult deprives him of the protection of the gods, and with it his power. Therefore, temple construction was constantly carried out in Ancient Egypt, and many important “houses of god”, having already been created, continued to acquire more and more new buildings. Even many centuries after their founding, they had new pylons, open courtyards, obelisks, statues and decoration; temples acquired regular land holdings.
At the same time, it was often necessary to sacrifice the already existing "houses of the gods", which were demolished, rebuilt, or simply used as quarries, turning them into a cheap source of building materials.
The clearest example of this is big temple Amon at Karnak. The first sanctuary in its place was built, as is believed, during the XII dynasty of the Middle Kingdom, but it became the most important temple of the country four centuries later, under the new Egyptian XVIII dynasty. After that, Karnak retained the status of the main sacred center of Egypt for more than a thousand years.
During this time, the temple was repeatedly rebuilt and expanded. Pharaoh after pharaoh enlarged the Karnak house of Amun, adding their own or altering parts already erected by their predecessors. As a result, over more than two millennia of transformation, the temple was overgrown with an incredible number of various buildings (there were as many as ten pylons alone!), and over time, about 20 smaller temples appeared within its huge temenos.
On a smaller scale, but still in a similar way, things were with the houses of other ancient Egyptian gods. Many of them have also been rebuilt and rebuilt many times, sometimes completely anew.
View of the first, second and third pylons of the famous Great Temple of Amun at Karnak. © Cartu13 | Dreamstime.com – Karnak Ruins Photo Both in the construction of new temples and in the alteration of old ones, Egyptian rulers often used the creations of previous pharaohs as a convenient source of building stone. So, during the construction of the third pylon of the same Great Temple of Amun in Karnak, several earlier buildings belonging to Senusret I, Amenhotep I and Thutmose IV, as well as the famous Queen Hatshepsut, were dismantled and used for building materials.
In an effort to associate their name with such a charitable deed as the construction of temples, the ancient Egyptian kings not only did not shy away from destroying the works of their predecessors for this, but also did not disdain to appropriate other people's merits in this field. This usually happened when one or another pharaoh was not able to build anything significant himself, or in order to erase the memory of the deeds of some former rulers. For this, a kind of “hijacking” of already existing temples or their parts was undertaken, where, by order of the ruling pharaoh, all references to their real builders were destroyed, and the name of the “hijacker” king was prescribed instead.
By the end of the New Kingdom, this practice had become so widespread that the pharaohs, when building temples, had to cut cartouches with hieroglyphs of their names a good dozen centimeters deep, hoping that this would make it impossible for the next kings to use their merit.
Cartouche with the throne name of Ramesses III in his memorial temple in Medinet Habu. Hoping to stop the usurpation of his temples by subsequent rulers, Ramesses III ordered inscriptions on their walls and columns in very deep relief, often to a depth of more than 10 centimeters. However, not only pharaohs-losers "interrupted numbers" on other people's monuments of architecture. Even the greatest builder of Ancient Egypt, Ramses II, did not hesitate to do so, having built many of his own outstanding temples.
In general, until the end of the New Kingdom, the total number of ancient Egyptian "houses of god" steadily increased. Of course, there were also cases when, for one reason or another, some of them fell into disrepair and disappeared. For example, many temples were destroyed by the forces of nature: groundwater, Nile floods and earthquakes. However, in general, favored by the attention of the pharaohs and having large material resources, the temples prospered.
Radical changes in the fate of the "houses of God" came with the end of Egyptian independence.
Twilight of the Ancient Egyptian Gods
After the fall of the New Kingdom, ancient Egypt fell on hard times. From the 11th century B.C. e. Egyptian history turned into a series of unrest, fragmentation and foreign domination, which was only occasionally punctuated by short bursts of independence and national unity.
The vicissitudes of this turbulent period could not but be reflected in the Egyptian temples. Thus, many "houses of God" were destroyed during the Assyrian and second Persian invasions. The Egyptians managed to partially compensate for these losses in the era of the Sais Renaissance and the efforts of the pharaoh of the XXX dynasty Nectanebo I. Later, intensive temple construction was also carried out under the Ptolemies and the Romans, that is, after Egypt finally lost its independence. However, the days of the greatness of the ancient Egyptian temples were already numbered.
With the adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD. e. the pagan sanctuaries of Egypt were outlawed. They were defiled by Christian fanatic vandals, they were closed by imperial decrees, used as quarries.
Temples built of limestone were especially hard hit (most of the "houses of god" north of Luxor were such; south, temples were usually built of sandstone). In the 5th century, their destruction on an unprecedented scale unfolded: the limestone of ancient Egyptian monuments was burned into lime, which was used for the construction needs of the new regime. In addition, many temples were converted into churches.
The last functioning Egyptian "house of the god" was believed to be the temple of Isis on the island of Philae. It was forcibly closed by a Byzantine military expedition under the command of the eunuch commander Narses around 535 AD. e.
Of course, Islam, which came to the country in the 7th century, did not bring any good news to the Egyptian temples. The destruction of temples continued, but instead of churches, mosques were now being built in them.
During the Byzantine period, several churches were built on the territory of the Luxor Temple of Amun. In the 13th century, they were replaced by a mosque, which still functions today. The number of ancient Egyptian temples declined even after the advent of modern Egyptology and interest in the history of ancient Egypt. So, already at the beginning of the 19th century, during the industrialization undertaken by the Egyptian Pasha Muhammad Ali, a campaign was again launched to burn the surviving "houses of God" to lime, which ruined many beautiful monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture.
As a result, to date, in Egypt, in more or less complete form, you can see only a small part of the former splendor of its ancient temple architecture. Basically, these are those "houses of the gods" that were located far from the Nile and densely populated places. There they were protected from destruction by people (especially if they were covered with sand) and the destructive floods of the great river. It is these temples that today represent the best preserved examples of the religious architecture of Ancient Egypt.
The most famous ancient Egyptian temples
In conclusion - a short annotated list of the most famous and best preserved ancient Egyptian temples. Each of them is a unique example of the architectural heritage of the country of the pharaohs and is worth visiting.
The list contains not only the "houses of the gods", but also the so-called "houses of millions of years" - memorial temples built by the pharaohs for the eternal administration of their funeral cult. Despite the fact that, contrary to the aspirations of their deified creators, services in such temples usually stopped shortly after the death of the pharaohs who built them, some of them are well preserved. During the period of the New Kingdom, "houses of millions of years" were built, as a rule, on the model of "houses of God."
From the time of the Old Kingdom, only a few poorly preserved temples survived. The most famous and best preserved of them is the monumental granite temple of pharaoh Khafre, which was once part of the funerary complex of buildings at his pyramid in Giza.
The temples of the Middle Egyptian period have practically not been preserved. The most significant of the remaining memorial temple of the XI dynasty pharaoh Mentuhotep II in Deir el-Bahri. Its ruins are located side by side with the famous temple of Queen Hatshepsut, for which he served as an architectural model.
To the left of the world-famous temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahri is the poorly preserved and much older memorial temple of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II. It was his unusual layout that was taken as a basis by the architects of the famous New Egyptian ruler. Another example of Middle Egyptian temples is the so-called " white chapel”, a small elegant temple of Pharaoh Senusret I, built by him in Thebes in honor of the 30th anniversary of his reign. In the era of the New Kingdom, the chapel was dismantled for building materials and restored by archaeologists in the 20th century.
Incomparably more Egyptian temples have survived from the era of the New Kingdom. The most famous and outstanding of them is the huge Karnak temple complex in the capital of the New Egyptian state of Thebes (now Luxor). With an area of more than 100 hectares, it is the second largest (after the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia) temple complex in the world. Its main "house of the god" is the Great Temple of Amun with a colossal hypostyle hall and ten pylons. In addition to him, the Karnak temple complex also includes the temples of the wife of Amon, the goddess Mut and their son Khonsu, as well as numerous sanctuaries of other deities and pharaohs.
Near Karnak is closely related Luxor Temple of Amun. This is the southernmost of the "houses of god" on the eastern shore of the ancient Egyptian capital. It has one and a half thousand years of continuous construction - starting from the reign of the pharaohs of the XVIII dynasty and ending with the era of the Christianization of the Roman Empire.
Many remarkable monuments of Egyptian temple architecture are located on the western coast of Thebes. Here, not far from the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom arranged their tombs, their funeral temples were also erected, of which three are the most famous.
First, this memorial temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahri. Lying in ruins at the start of excavations in 1891, today this magnificent temple has been carefully restored and is a true masterpiece of ancient Egyptian temple architecture. It belongs to a kind of rocky variety of "houses of millions of years."
Not far to the south of it, in a place called Gurna, there is a rather poorly preserved memorial temple of Ramesses II. With the light hand of Champollion, who visited the temple in 1829, he is also known as Ramesseum. Once it was an impressive structure even by the standards of Ramesses II, but over the past millennia, it has suffered significant damage.
Unfortunately, the memorial temple of the great Ramesses II in Gurna (also known as the Ramesseum) is rather poorly preserved. Southwest of the Ramesseum is memorial temple of RamessesIII at Medinet Habu- one of the most impressive religious buildings of ancient Egypt. The building of this temple for the most part escaped destruction (except for the destruction of temple statues and other similar “little things” by Christian vandals) and was perfectly preserved.
In addition to this famous trinity, in the Theban necropolis there is another remarkable "house of millions of years" - memorial temple of SetiI in Qurna. Located near the Ramesseum and badly damaged, it is almost unknown to tourists today. However, this temple was once very important - it was here that the statue of the god Amun made its first stop when it was transported to the west bank of the Nile during the Beautiful Festival of the Valley.
Much better preserved (and therefore more popular with travelers) mortuary temple of Seti I at Abydos. It was dedicated to Osiris, Isis and Pharaoh Seti I himself, during whose lifetime the temple was never completed. The construction had to be completed by his son, the famous Ramesses II. One of the main features of this temple is the so-called Abydos King List - a list of all the pharaohs who ruled in Egypt, from the legendary Mendes to Seti I, carved on its walls.
Magnificent monuments of New Egyptian architecture are rock memorial temples of Ramses II and Nefertari in Abu Simbel. They are located in the south of modern Egypt, in historical Nubia, and are famous not only for their outstanding artistic merit, but also for their recent history of salvation.
Due to the construction of the Aswan Dam, which began in 1960, the temples in Abu Simbel (like many other archaeological sites in southern Egypt) were in the zone of future flooding. In 1964 - 1968, both the large and small (pictured) temples of Abu Simbel were cut into blocks and moved to a higher place. The best-preserved Egyptian temples date back to the last millennium of the existence of Ancient Egypt - the Greco-Roman period of its history (IV century BC - VI century AD).
One of them is located 60 km north of Luxor Temple of Hathor in Dendera. It is unusual in that it does not have a pylon. But he has two (and, moreover, unique) mammisia at once. The first was built by Pharaoh Nectaneb I and is the oldest "birth house" that has come down to our time. The second, the most developed from an architectural point of view of all known temples of this kind, dates back to Roman times.
The same goddess as in Dendera is dedicated to the one built in the 3rd century BC. e. Temple of Hathor in Deir el-Medina. It is quite small, but it has been preserved relatively untouched, including the temple fence made of raw brick.
One of the latest ancient Egyptian "houses of god" - temple of Khnum in Esna- located 55 km south of Luxor. It began to be built under Ptolemy VI, and the Romans had to finish the work. Today it is located right in the middle of the modern city. Of the entire temple, only hypostyle hall but in good condition.
Further south, halfway between Luxor and Aswan is Temple of Horus at Edfu. Today it is the best preserved Egyptian "house of god", and therefore it is very popular with tourists. The temple was built for 180 years, from 237 to 57 BC. e., and was completed by Ptolemy XII, father of the famous Queen Cleopatra. The oldest element of the temple is a four-meter granite naos of Pharaoh Nectaneb II, which went to the current Ptolemaic sanctuary from the earlier "house of god" that stood on this site.
Further south is a unique "double" Temple of Sebek and Horus the Elder in Kom Ombo. It is curious because it has an unusual “mirror” plan: the temple is divided into two absolutely identical halves, the first of which is dedicated to the crocodile-headed god Sebek, and the second to one of the incarnations of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Several temples were once located on the island of Elephantine, strategically located near the ancient southern border of Egypt (opposite modern Aswan). Two of them - the small temples of Thutmose III and Amenhotep III - remained virtually untouched until the beginning of the 19th century. Unfortunately, in 1822 they were barbarously destroyed by order of the local authorities (they were burnt to lime). Today, only the granite gates of the Hellenistic period from temple of the god Khnum. Also on the island, archaeologists partially restored Temple of the Goddess Satet(the wife of Khnum), which had the largest nilometer in Egypt, which was used until the 19th century.
Unlike Elephantine, where the oldest archaeological finds date back to the early dynastic period, the temples on the island of Philae, located a little to the south, appeared relatively late. It became an important religious center only during the reign of the Ptolemies. The well-preserved Temple of Isis on the island of Philae, which is considered the most beautiful of all the existing Egyptian "houses of god".
The first pylon and entrance to the temple of Isis on the island of Philae. Climbing the Nile even further south, you can see Temple of Mandulis at Kalabsha. Dedicated to the local Nubian deity, whom the Egyptians identified with their Horus, it was built during the reign of the last Ptolemies and completed under Emperor Augustus. Originally, the temple was located on the banks of the Nile in a place called Bab el-Kalabsha, 50 km south of the current Aswan Dam. In 1962 - 1963, it was disassembled into 13 thousand parts and then transported and recreated in a new place - the island of New Kalabsha.
In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that as a result of the grandiose international campaign of 1959-1980 to save architectural monuments Nubia from flooding four small ancient Egyptian temples were outside of Egypt. In gratitude for their help in archaeological work, they were donated to Spain ( temple of Amun from Debod, now stands in Madrid), the Netherlands ( Temple of Emperor Octavian Augustus of Taffa, now in the Leiden State Museum of Antiquities), USA ( Temple of Isis from Dendur, now in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Italy ( rock temple of Thutmose III from Ellesia, which was transferred to the Egyptian Museum of Turin).
It is impossible to overestimate the degree of luck that it took for all the temples listed above to survive to this day. Over the past millennia, they were lucky enough to survive many natural adversities and foreign invasions. But what is most surprising is that they somehow miraculously passed the long centuries of religious intolerance, which, like the sword of Damocles, hung over them ever since the voices of the priests were forever silenced in them and the smoke of the last incense melted away.
Fortunately, now for the first time in almost two thousand years, the temples of Ancient Egypt are beyond the threat of destruction. They are internationally recognized as an integral part of the cultural treasury of mankind. Many ancient Egyptian temples are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Of course, solemn services within their walls have sunk into oblivion forever. The old ceremonies were replaced by noisy tourist fuss, and the only obligatory rituals were camera and souvenir chores. But even now, wandering through the pillared halls and porticos of the ancient Egyptian "houses of God", you can still catch an echo of their former purpose. As before, they proudly look at the human chaos reigning around them, and in spite of everything they continue to remain strongholds of maat - the eternal order of the universe.
Hello friends. We have prepared for you a story about a very unusual place. This is the White Temple in Thailand. People do not come here for prayer and there are no monks here yet. This is an art object that reflects the variability of our world. Here you will see the interweaving of Buddhism with Thai architecture, elements of science fiction and pop art. Unusual combination, right?
Thai artist-millionaire Chalermchai Kositpipat (Chalermchai Kositpipat) believed that it would be difficult for modern people to understand Buddhism. To facilitate this task, he decided to reconstruct the Temple of Wat Rong Khun (Wat Rong Khun) or the White Temple (White temple), located near his hometown of Chiang Rai.
So since 1997, at his own expense, he began the implementation of a grandiose project.
For several decades now, a team of artists has been working on the implementation of this project. And tourists are already showing an unprecedented interest in this place. And this is taking into account the fact that it is not located in the territory of a tourist active area.
The work is planned to be completed by 2070. At the same time, the government does not allocate money for these works.
Symbols
Every smallest detail of the complex has its own meaning, designed to tell the visitors of the complex about Buddhism, to help them take a different look at familiar things.
The external appearance of the building is formed by two textures: white alabaster and fragments of mirrors.
The fragments are superimposed on alabaster and in sunny weather this mosaic reflects so much light that you want to close your eyes. This is how the artist shows the superiority of the spiritual world, the purity of the Buddha and the good that we all are able to reflect and bring to the world.
When decorating the territory, many other colors are used: red, green, gold.
They are a symbol of everything worldly and vicious. This is also evidenced by sculptures of terrible demons, skeletons, hanging heads and other attributes of the mortal world. All this is not for intimidation, but for edification and reminder - this is how the author makes it clear the difference between the consciousness of an enlightened and an unenlightened person.
The temple is surrounded by a fish pond. They can be fed.
In addition, on the way to the building you will meet interesting installation objects:
- hell hole
- gate to heaven
Hell here is symbolized by thousands of hands stretching out of the pit. These are our passions.
By giving up all these desires, you may find yourself at the gates of heaven. They are guarded by two sculptures: Death and Rahu, who controls the fate of man.
Behind the bridge is a Buddha statue and the temple itself.
Inside the temple
Here you will find a surprise. The images that decorate it are, oh, how far from religious paintings and attributes typical of Buddhism. But they fit perfectly into the concept of a diverse and limitless reality.
Inside the building you will see two statues of Buddha, calmly contemplating the merciless struggle between good and evil, depicted on the opposite wall.
Here they act in the image of goodness modern heroes- Superman, Batman, Terminator, Avatar, the hero of Keanu Reeves from the Matrix.
Part of the walls has not yet been framed, but there you can see sketches of planes crashing into the twin towers.
And in the middle of the temple is a sculpture of a monk. It is so realistically executed that it can easily be confused with a living person.
Next to the White House is the Golden House. All worldly life is concentrated here. Namely: an art gallery, a hall for prayers and sermons and ... a golden toilet.
After you have visited both buildings, you can take a walk in the park, relax on the benches, admire the bizarre fountains and comprehend what you see. Or buy souvenirs at the souvenir shop.
Working hours
The complex is open from 8:00 to 18:00.
What is the price
Free admission
How to get there
The temple is located 15 kilometers southwest of Chiang Rai.
You can get from Chiang Rai to the place where the temple is located by bus from the bus station near the night market in the center of Chiang Rai.
Such a trip will cost 20 baht.
Address: San Sai, Mueang Chiang Rai District
In order not to rush, you can stay for a day or two in the city.
Where to stay in Chiang Rai
Now a lot of housing options in Chiang Rai appeared on the service Airbnb. We have written how to use this service. If you do not find a free room in the hotel, then look for accommodation through this booking site.
We offer good options for hotels in Chiang Rai
White Temple on the map
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There are quite a few interesting sights in Thailand, and one of these places is the White Temple or Wat Rong Khun. It is even difficult to call this temple a temple; rather, it is a work of art that enchants with its beauty. It seems that you are in a fairy tale and there is a snow castle in front of you. The temple is located a few kilometers from Chiang Rai, so if you are in these places, be sure to visit the White Temple in Thailand.
The construction of the temple began relatively recently in 1997 and continues to this day. The idea of the White Temple, as well as the temple itself, belong to the talented artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The magical building is his dream come true. The funds for the construction of the temple complex, the artist collected for 20 years. He does not want anyone to dictate his own rules for the construction of the temple, so he does not take money from sponsors. Even the chief engineer is his brother. Chalermchayu Kositpipat is confident that thanks to the White Temple, his memory will live on for many years to come.
Temple grounds
The territory of the temple is well-groomed and well-equipped. There is a beautiful pond in which fish swim, as well as many fountains and sculptures of mythological creatures. Among all this beauty, it's nice to sit on a bench and take great photos.
There are currently three buildings on the temple grounds: the White Temple, an art gallery, and a golden structure that looks like a small palace, which is actually a public toilet. I would never have thought that an ordinary toilet could be so beautiful.
The owner plans to build 6 more buildings. The construction of some of them has already begun.
Near the temple complex there is a souvenir shop where you can buy magnets, postcards and more. There is also a cafe where you can have a bite to eat.
The main building is the White Temple, which symbolizes Paradise, and to get into it you need to go through the mundane world full of temptations, and then through Hell with the outstretched hands of sinners and the fangs of Rahu (the mythical snake demon). And only then you get to the bridge, which symbolizes the road to enlightenment, and leads to the temple.
The hands of sinners 
bridge of enlightenment What's inside the temple?
At the entrance to the White Temple, there are signs that say that it is forbidden to take pictures inside the building. But despite this, there are quite a lot of photos on the Internet.
Getting into the temple, you understand that it is half empty: only a statue of a monk sitting alone and painted walls around. All drawings are created by the owner of the temple and symbolize the constant war between good and evil. Here you can see various characters fighting for good: Superman, Batman, Avatar, Terminator, heroes from the Matrix and many others. Also on the walls are twin towers, rockets, weapons, spaceships. Over time, new paintings appear and many of them reflect our modern life.
How to get there?
The easiest way to get to the White Temple is from Chiang Rai, for this you need to drive in the direction of Chiang Mai for about 12 km. There will be a sign on the road next to the White Temple, as well as many buses and cars, so it is difficult to miss this place. Even from Chiang Rai to the White Temple can be reached by minibus from the old bus station.
See the exact location of the White Temple on the map.
Schedule
The temple is open during daylight hours seven days a week, admission is free.
As in any other Buddhist temple dress appropriately: knees and shoulders must be covered. If necessary, at the entrance you will be given pants, a skirt or a scarf.
The White Temple in Thailand impresses with its unusual beauty and many tourists come here from different countries. This place is definitely included in.
The Buddhist temple (Wat Rong Khun), located near the city of Chiang Rai in the province of the same name, has become a symbol of modern art in Northern Thailand and one of the most famous. Thousands of people come here to see its unusual appearance and talented painting, similar to the ancient frescoes in Wat Pumin in the city. I was twice in the White Temple Wat Rong Khun in spring and winter and even saw a sculpture that personally painted the inner walls of the ubosota.
In this article, I will tell you all the information about Wat Rong Khun in Thailand and how best to visit it, where it is located and how to get to Wat Rong Khun, and how it is unique among other Thai temples.
(Wat Rong Khun) is a modern private Buddhist temple and art gallery, the brainchild of Thai sculptor and artist Chalemchai Kositpipat. Chalemchai designed and built Wat Rong Khun and opened it to the public in 1997. The temple is located 13 km from the city center of Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand.
The name Wat Rong Khun is better known to Thais, foreigners call it the White Temple of Chiang Rai by the color of its buildings.
Wat Rong Khun was built on the site of an old temple of the same name. It turned out that the restoration of the temple became impossible, and then the artist Chalemchai decided to put his life into building a new temple at his own expense (he had already spent 40 million baht). According to the sculptor, his task is to return the Thais to the Buddhist temple in every sense. He wants to make a place for meditation and for studying the words of the Buddha. Chalemchai suggests that for his contribution to spreading the words of the Buddha, he will gain eternal life.
It is estimated that the work will be completed by 2070, and then there will be 9 buildings on the temple grounds. It is clear that the artist's successors will complete the construction. For now, he's doing his best. Including your own hands. When I first visited Wat Rong Khun, I saw how enthusiastically he was working, painting the walls of the ubosota, while the neighboring viharn was just being built. And on the second visit, I already saw the results of Chalemchay's work and creativity.
Wat Rong Khun - that's for sure unique temple! There is nothing like it in all of Thailand! Compared to the city of Nan, the White Temple can be called its spiritual successor. Like Chalemchai Kositpipat, the artists of the Tai Lu people who painted it were also concerned about the sinfulness of people and called for the fulfillment of the precepts of the Buddha.
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Well, with a reflection of their own sinfulness, visitors to the White Temple of Chiang Rai meet immediately at the entrance. Unpleasant monsters stick out of the ground, and dead heads hang from the trees. It's getting creepy. And next to it, the artist’s testaments to modern people are written - do not drink, do not smoke. Apparently monsters are victims of the abuse of this vice.
In the first building on the left you need to buy a ticket. For foreigners, a visit to the White Temple is 50 baht. Thais can enter for free. By the way, it is better to visit it in the morning, when the sun is not so hot, and there are fewer visitors.
There is also a small shop nearby where you can buy postcards or replicas of Chalemchay's paintings, thus supporting his cause. I gladly bought several postcards, as I like the work of this artist. You can also leave a donation (donation) - any amount up to 10,000 baht.
The monks at the golden toilet are photographing something
The territory of the temple is very ennobled. There are cool water coolers everywhere, which is very important when you travel around Thailand. And even the toilets at the temple are made in a modern way and their cleanliness is constantly monitored! The building itself is made of golden color! The artist did not stint and thought about the tourists.
By the way, next to the temple, but not on its territory, of course, there are many restaurants and cafes. Prices are a little higher than usual. However, there you can eat well: both Thai food and pizza. And there is delicious ice cream.
There is one minus - you cannot take pictures inside the temple. But this is the desire of the artist. And his works (reproductions) can be bought at the store if desired.
But let's finally go to the temple of Wat Rong Khun!
To say he's popular is an understatement! There are always a lot of people here. Therefore, you need to choose the time to take a photo. But if it succeeds, then joy overflows. After all, the temple looks so airy! Standing over a transparent pond, the White Temple is reflected in the water and reminds us of the fragility of the human soul - as bright as the temple itself.
Some Chinese tourist asked me to take a picture of him with the White Temple in the background. Then he caught up with us and said that he was learning Russian, and said a few words, wildly embarrassed 
The monks also like to visit as tourists. different temples
But as soon as we approach the entrance to the bridge, we see how unfortunate and twisted hands reach out to us in silent prayer, tormented by their desires. They have become slaves of desire. This is the suffering of those who could not resist vice. Climbing the bridge, we immediately meet two formidable warriors who are ready to kill the one who has not conquered his sins. They are harsh. But in order to pass, one must conquer the ego, the desire. Doesn't it really look like an angel with a flaming sword that stands at the entrance to the Garden of Eden?
Entrance to the temple through the sea of desires
Passion of incessant desires
Bridge of the Cycle of Rebirth
If a person succeeds in conquering his egoistic desires, he is able to cross the bridge. This transition symbolizes death. Now it is not a body, but a soul. He is met by the spirits of death - they decide what is the fate of the soul and whether to let it through the gates of paradise. Again we draw analogies with St. Peter or Osiris, who judges the dead by weighing their hearts.
And if the soul is allowed, it enters paradise. In our case, this is the ubosot of the White Temple. Inside, ubosota walls are painted, artfully blending classic Buddhist themes with contemporary symbols, from nuclear war to movie characters. And most importantly, the red color of fire prevails inside. It is a symbol of life and a symbol of desire. Here the question should be asked: does the artist believe that a person is capable of becoming purer? Or does he see the purification of the soul as an eternal process?
Entrance to heaven
The temple has always been an image and a copy of the human body - what is above is what is below .. The White Temple shows us the hell of the human soul, the suffering that it has to go through in order to survive in modern world. Fear, despair and temptations surround us throughout life, and the inner fire burns all the dirt that the stupas pick up along the way. Only transformation will lead the soul to a white and pure temple. Only darkness can lead to light.
And the artist shows us this way in the scenery of Wat Rong Kun.
North of Thailand was hit by a powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 points. Its epicenter was just not far from Chiang Rai, and, unfortunately, the White Temple also suffered losses. The sculptor said that he would not restore his brainchild, since he devoted most of his life to it and he did not want to go through the same circles of hell again.
However, a few days later, the investigation stated that the main structures of the temple were not affected. And Chalemchay promised to restore what was destroyed in two years, and then put his life into further work.
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