"A 120-meter golden stupa rebuilt by King Mongkut, an easy day trip west of Bangkok."
Nakhon Pathom / Phra Pathom Chedi, Bangkok Overview
Phra Pathom Chedi is a 120.45-meter Buddhist stupa in Nakhon Pathom, roughly 56 km west of Bangkok and a popular day trip from the city. The current bell-shaped, golden-tiled monument was commissioned by King Mongkut, who found the original ruin in 1831 and rebuilt over it in Sri Lankan style; construction finished in 1870 under King Chulalongkorn. The site's origins are traced by historians to the Dvaravati period, 6th-8th century CE. It is the tallest stupa in Thailand and among the tallest Buddhist stupas anywhere in the world.
Wat Phra Pathommachedi Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan, in the town center of Nakhon Pathom, houses Phra Pathom Chedi: a bell-shaped stupa 120.45 meters tall with a 235.50-meter base circumference, covered in golden-brown tiles imported from China. Prince Mongkut discovered the original 84-meter ruin in 1831 and, after his coronation, rebuilt it over 17 years, completing it in 1870 under King Chulalongkorn. Historians link the site to the ancient Dvaravati kingdom. A first-rank royal temple still in active use, the complex includes four viharas, cloistered galleries, a reclining Buddha hall, and a national museum of Dvaravati artifacts, about 56 km west of Bangkok.
