Giants Stand Guard
Mythical giants stand guard at the entrance to Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Construction of Wat Phra Kaew began in 1782, the year of the founding of the city of Bangkok. The temple houses the almost legendary Emerald Buddha, a small Buddha image made from a type of jade, that is fashioned in the style of Chiang Saen or Lanna, northern Siam.