Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is in Bangkok, Thailand.
The temple stands within the grounds of Bangkok’s Grand Palace in the historic Rattanakosin district. Construction began in 1783 on the orders of King Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty, after the capital was moved to the river’s eastern bank. The Emerald Buddha was ceremonially installed there in 1785.
Despite its name, the Emerald Buddha is not made of emerald. It is carved from a green semi-precious stone, usually identified as jade or jasper, and is about 66 centimetres tall. The image is Thailand’s sacred palladium, and its gold garments are changed in royal ceremonies three times a year.
A common mix-up is Wat Arun, also in Bangkok. Wat Arun housed the image before it was transferred across the Chao Phraya River to Wat Phra Kaew. Another tempting distractor is Vientiane: Thai forces seized the image there in 1779, but it is now enshrined in Bangkok.