Temple of the Reclining Buddha
Wat Chaiyamangalaram Thai Buddhist Temple or more popularly known to most as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is one of the more popular tourist spot in Penang. It is located at around Pulau Tikus.
The piece of land which the temple was built on was donated by the late Queen Victoria to the Thai residents of Penang. The handover ceremony of the land was done by W.L. Butterworth on 22nd July 1845.
As you enter the main entrance of the temple, you’ll be greeted by some beautifully crafted statues of the devas (gods) and also multi-headed serpents. One will be fascinated by the fine design works done by the statue crafting artists of the yesteryears.
Inside the temple, there is a statue of the reclining Buddha, Pra Buddha Chaiya Mongkol which measures at the length of 108 feets. The statue was built in July 1958 to commemorate the 25th century of the birth of the Buddha. The cost was at about RM100,000 and the statue is said to be one of the largest in the world.
On the walls inside the temple, there are areas which store the ashes of Buddhist devotees which has passed away. The walls’ design and decoration follow those of the traditional Thai design. There are also Buddha statues covered with gold leaves being used as interior design inside the temple.
There are also paintings on the life of the Buddha painted by well-known Thai artists hung on the walls as part of the interior decorations. Next to the temple, there’s a five-storey Thai pagoda measuring at the height of about 165 feet high.
This is one of the must-go destination if this is your first visit to Penang. This is a place you wouldn’t want to miss 