Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram: A Royal Temple of Historical Significance

Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram is a first-class royal temple of the Rajavihara type, with no clear evidence of its original construction date. Initially known as Wat Laem or Wat Sai Thong, it was later renamed by King Rama IV to Wat Benchabophit, meaning 'Temple of the Five Princes,' referring to the five royal siblings who jointly restored the temple. When King Rama V established Dusit Garden, he reconstructed the temple and renamed it Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram, signifying 'Temple of King Rama V.' Originally a commoner’s temple, Wat Laem, it was restored by five royal siblings after the suppression of the Anouvong rebellion. These siblings included:

- Prince Krom Phra Phitak Thewet (founder of the Kunchar family)
- Prince Krom Luang Phuwanat Narinitr (founder of the Tinkorn family)
- Prince Inthanin
- Prince Wong

They also built five stupas in front of the temple. Later, King Rama IV renamed it Wat Benchabophit, meaning 'Temple of the Five Princes.'

In 1898, King Rama V purchased land between Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem and Khlong Samsen to create a private retreat named 'Dusit Garden' (now Dusit Palace). The land included two ancient temples: Wat Dusit, which was dilapidated and used for pavilion construction, and another abandoned temple. To compensate for using temple land for road construction, King Rama V decided to establish a new temple, choosing Wat Benchabophit for reconstruction. He believed that building one large, meticulously crafted temple was better than creating multiple smaller ones. He entrusted Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong with designing the temple and other structures, while Phraya Ratchasongkhram (Korn Hongsakul) served as the chief builder. The temple is adjacent to Wat Benchamabophit School.

On March 1, 1898, King Rama V visited the temple and officially declared the land as part of the temple’s boundary. He renamed the temple Wat Benchabophit, meaning 'Temple of King Rama V,' to signify the Chakri dynasty’s lineage. Later, he donated additional land named Dusitvanaram to the temple, combining the names into Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram.

In 1915, during King Rama VI’s reign, the temple was classified as a first-class royal temple of the Rajavihara type, hence its current name includes 'Rajavihara.'

Post by เปรมยุ | Jul 17, 2025