2001 Photograph, The Temple of the Golden Mount as seen from the gardens of the "Metal Palace", © 2002.

Wat Saket has on the west side of the grounds the Golden Mount or Phu Khao Thong. The steep climb up the Golden Mount puts everything back in perspective and offers views over Rattanakosin Island that are simply stunning. The artificial hill was created when a large Chedi under construction by King Rama III collapsed because the soft soil beneath would not support it. The resulting mud-and-brick hill was left to sprout weeds until King Rama IV built a small Chedi on its crest.

King Rama V later added to the structure and housed a Buddha relic from India in the Chedi. The concrete walls were added during World War II to prevent the hill from eroding. Every November a large festival, held on the ground of Wat Saket, includes a candlelight procession up the Golden Mount.

To order: