Wat Arun (Thailand: Temple of the Dawn) is a Buddhist temple (wat) in the Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The full name of the temple is Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan.
The outstanding feature of Wat Arun is its central prang (Khmer-style tower). Begun in 1809, it may have been named “Temple of the Dawn” because the first light of morning reflects off the surface of the temple with a pearly iridescence.
Most of the tour packages around Bangkok offer a stop at Wat Arun, and it is an easy place to access by public transport. For the foreigners, the temple charges an entrance fee of THB 50 (as of June 2009).
