Wat Ratchabophit or more formally Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram Ratcha Wara Maha Wihan is a Buddhist temple located on Atsadang Road, Bangkok, along Khlong Lot, not far from Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. The temple was built during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).

The temple features a unique layout, with its wiharn and ubosot joined by a circular courtyard, at the center of which stands a gilded chedi. The golden chedi (43m high) is covered with golden-coloured tiles and on top of the chedi, there is a golden ball.

There is a relic of the Buddha inside and the chedi was built in Sri Lankan style. The ordination hall has 10 door panels and 28 window panels each decorated with gilded black lacquer on the inside.

The interior of the Ubosot is guilded Italian architecture which came about after King's visit to Europe. The entrance doors are 3m high and are decorated with inlaid mother-of-pearl, which represents various medals and decorations.

On the west end of the temple grounds is the Royal Cemetery, with numerous monuments to major and minor members of the Royal Family, most notably those in the immediate family of King Chulalongkorn. One of the memorials, the Rangsi Vadhana Memorial, contains the ashes of Mahidol Adulyadej, the father of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), Srinagarindra (his wife) and Galyani Vadhana (his daughter). A Christian church is in the same grounds, as are many chedis and Khmer-face towers.

text adapted from Wikipedia (retrieved, February 10th 2012