Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple)

วัดเบญจมบพิตรดุสิตวนาราม ราชวรวิหาร

Italian marble hall, calmer than the big royal sites

Hours

Daily, morning to late afternoon (may change on ceremony days)

Tickets

50 baht for foreigners

Address

Sawankhalok Road, Dusit

The hall is white Carrara marble under a Thai tiered roof, with European stained glass in the windows. It looks nothing like the gold-heavy temples in the postcards, which is the point. Walk round the back to a cloister courtyard lined with Buddha images from different countries and the loop takes longer than you expect. When Rattanakosin is jammed with tour groups, this side of town is calm.