White Temple in Chiang Rai. white temple in thailand pattaya white temple
Wat Rong Khun is a famous Buddhist temple in Thailand. Known for the fact that it is executed almost entirely in the most chalky shades of white, laced with mosaics with mirror splashes, furnished with an abundance of thematic sculptures. The White Temple is a popular place to visit. Artfully crafted scenes featuring mythological characters are presented here, and the numerous details, masterfully executed in alabaster, attract the eye.
Despite the fact that the architecture and interior decoration of the temple are practically devoid of any painted elements, in the rays of the morning and evening dawn the room is filled with paints of various shades. Masses of visitors rush to him to join the amazing, real, man-made beauty. Everyone who has visited the Rong Khun Temple talks about what they saw as futuristic paintings, where each fresco, figure, sculpture or pattern is endowed with a certain, own meaning.
Construction history
The White Temple in Thailand appeared in 1997 on the site of an almost collapsed Buddhist sanctuary, and its construction continues today. The reasons for such a long construction and arrangement are connected with the painstaking work of creating creative masterpieces, and with the earthquake that happened in 2014. As a result of the damage, it was decided not to restore the building, but later the expediency of restoration work was confirmed, and Wat Rong Khun is still being renovated and recreated.
Chalemchai Kositpipat The complex owes its appearance to the artist Chalermchai Kasitpipat - it is he who acts as the author and almost the only performer of skillful ideas and artistic incarnations. The white base of the temple buildings serves as a symbol of the purity of the Buddha and the embodiment of nirvana, a myriad of small mirrors - divine wisdom embodied on earth. And the artist's idea in sculptural compositions touches on the eternal theme of the confrontation between good and evil forces both in the outside world and in human nature. A total of nine temple buildings were planned. The ideological inspirer of the White Temple in Thailand himself claims that the construction has been planned for 90 years and will be completed by the students and followers of the architect.
When visiting, it is offered to purchase souvenirs and paintings by the artist Chalermchai Kasitpipat. It is noteworthy that the author invests all the funds from the sale of his works in the construction, resolutely rejecting anyone's participation or help. This is how the architect preserves the independence of his inspiration and fantasy.
The work to provide the temple complex is truly large-scale, ranging from detailed design, direct construction and ending with the creation of interiors, murals and the establishment of infrastructure. It is believed that over the two decades of the existence of the project, large sums with six zeros have already been invested in it.
According to the global author's idea, the Wat Rong Khun temple in Thailand should turn into a major Buddhist center, where numerous people can comprehend sacred knowledge. Modernized religious ideas, thanks to a new reading and interpretation of traditional canons, are designed to become more accessible to the understanding of the broad masses who are looking for answers to their questions. Therefore, there are so many unexpected design solutions in the architectural complex, riveting the eye and forcing to rethink some well-established dogmas. Maybe that is why the artist Chalermchai Kasitpipat is called the modern Salvador Dali.
Architecture and interior decoration
This temple in Thailand is not computer graphics, as it may seem to an inexperienced person when looking at a photo of an attraction from a monitor screen. It exists, and you can spend long hours looking at the subtleties and details of the decoration, comprehending the artist's intention or making guesses about the semantic purpose of individual elements.
The White Temple is the center of fine taste and noble worldview, embodied in architecture. Bizarre patterns, shapes and lines, sculptural compositions, fountains, a combination of the ancient foundations of Buddhism with a progressive outlook on life - everything here is permeated by the creator's desire to convey the main thing to human consciousness.
There are sculptures that are pleasing to the eye, friendly in execution, and frankly sinister! And the blindingly attractive snow-white temple, upon closer inspection, may turn out to be frightening in some details, but no less interesting to study. The roof of the White Temple of Wat Rong Khun is crowned with the attributes of the four elements, the main ones in Buddhism. These are earth, air, water and fire, respectively - an elephant, a swan, a snake and a lion.
Currently, three buildings have been erected: the White Temple, the gallery and the Golden Palace. In the future, it is planned that they will be added to:
- chapel;
- monastery;
- pavilion;
- museum;
- pagoda;
- hall for sermons;
- restroom.
The path to the temple runs through an openwork bridge, which identifies the movement from life's problems to the world of eternal bliss. At the base of the bridge, a circle is marked, from where huge fang-like outgrowths-teeth of a certain fabulous creature capable of absorbing stars and planets ascend to the heavens. On the way to the White Temple, an unexpected sight opens up - human hands growing right out of the ground. This is a symbolic hellish place, reminding you that you need to take care of the salvation of your soul in a timely manner, so as not to become the same sinner, begging for alms of grace and forgiveness, being already condemned to eternal torment.
The building with the intriguing name of the Golden Palace really looks very impressive, thanks to intricate ornaments and decorations. The palace outside is ennobled with flower plantings. In fact, the building, it turns out, has a toilet purpose, so it is much less visited by tourists. Nevertheless, in order to get acquainted with the interiors of the palace, you have to change shoes and stand in a real queue - many tourists want to capture its decoration in the photo. But this moment should not confuse visitors - there are ordinary toilets nearby.
The grace of the green frame of the palace
The area surrounding Wat Rong Khun also did not go unnoticed by the architect. Beautiful paths are laid out for transitions and walks, there are benches for rest in the shade of trees, the grounds are decorated with vegetation. Everything is done for the convenience of travelers who have decided to devote their time to studying the White Temple in Thailand.
The green territory is also ennobled with the help of regular semantic sculptural compositions with the participation of the Buddha and other traditional accompanying characters. Tree branches are decorated with unusual masks, and a pond with fish has been built next to the temple in the park. By the way, the inhabitants of the reservoir are quite large specimens, numerous and very bright in color, it is interesting to watch their motley flocks and even more interesting to feed them directly from their hands.
Another intricate attraction of the temple complex is a well, also called golden. A belief is associated with it: if you make a wish, throw a coin and land in the center of the well, then it will come true. It is believed that notes with prayers left on specially designated trees contribute to the embodiment of human aspirations. The white temple of Wat Rong Khun is a real source of hope and comfort.
Unique temple interiors of Wat Rong Khun
No less interesting is the interior decoration of temple buildings. The interior of the White Temple of Thailand is half empty, which symbolizes purity from unnecessary thoughts. In the center there is a figure of a monk, striking visitors with the naturalness of execution and a striking resemblance to a person. The walls are painted by the creator of the temple himself, the paintings are distinguished by the use of golden tones, and the depicted scenes continue the theme of the struggle between good and evil.
Currently, the wall paintings are partly under restoration after the earthquake. One of the walls is reserved for a Buddhist altar with the corresponding elements.
Where is the white temple in Thailand and how to get there
The White Temple is located near the Thai city of Chiang Rai in the northern region of Thailand, and it will not be difficult to solve the problem of how to get to Wat Rong Khun. About 13 km from Chiang Rai in the south is another city - Tiang Mai, from where fixed-route or regular taxis will be taken to the White Temple. You can also find it on your own in your car: where the White Temple is located in Thailand, residents of the surrounding settlements will be able to tell.
Important to know when visiting the complex
Wat Rong Khun is a truly amazing place. Here it was possible to successfully combine tradition and modernity, which undoubtedly contributes to the development of the worldview among visitors and increases interest in studying Buddhism and spiritual practices in general among the younger generation.
What the famous temple looks like and a lot of useful information about the city of Chiang Rai can be found in this video.
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white temple in Thailand - the most unusual temple that I have ever seen.
White Temple - Wat Rong Khun located in the North of Thailand, next to. Many people who have seen a photo of this magnificent temple on the Internet travel to the North of Thailand just to visit this unusual White Temple.
Wat Rong Khun - a completely new temple, the construction of which began in 1997 and continues to this day. The temple looks like an ice house (it would have been to the taste of the Snow Queen from a fairy tale 🙂 or like a sugar palace and it is not entirely clear what it is made of. Wat Rong Khun is completely white, which is why it is most often called the White Temple.
It is being built by a Thai artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat, with his own money from the sale of paintings. The artist refused sponsors, he does not want anyone to dictate any conditions to him, he wants to do everything in the temple the way only he wants.
They say that the best time to visit the White Temple is at dawn or sunset, when the white color is beautifully reflected in the sun.
We spent the night in, slept in the morning, had breakfast at our Baan Bua Guest House hotel and arrived at the White Temple only at 10 am. Were not pleasantly surprised by the number of people near the temple.
For the first time in our entire trip to the North of Thailand, we saw so many sightseeing buses in the parking lot. We had a hard time finding a spot on the side of the road to park our little car!
Yes, Wat Rong Khun is amazing. This is the most unusual and non-traditional Buddhist temple. It is made of white material, which symbolizes the purity of the Buddha and of mirror inserts, which symbolize the wisdom of the Buddha. 
Around the temple is a lake with fish. You can feed them by buying food nearby. 
There was a queue at the temple. I had to wait a while to get to the bridge, through which you have to go through to get into the White Temple itself.
Before entering the bridge to get to Paradise 🙂 The bridge says that in order to get to Paradise (to the White Temple), one must pass from ordinary worldly life through Hell on the bridge. And thousands of hands of sinners stretch out from Hell. I'll tell you the sight is not very pleasant.
In general, of course, the temple is interesting and beautiful, but it did not leave pleasant emotions for me. Rather the opposite. You don’t feel the energy here, you don’t want to stay here for a long time, like in a temple on a mountain in Chiang Dao.
Before entering Wat Rong Khun, take off your shoes. You can’t take pictures inside, so I’ll describe it in words: inside the temple is almost empty. Only in the center is the mummy of a monk (we still didn’t understand if it was a mummy or just a doll?). The walls are painted with the author's works of the artist. On the walls are scenes from the films "The Matrix", "Avatar", "Star Wars". The event of September 11 is also displayed here. The work on painting the walls of the temple continues to this day.
We leave the White Temple and go to inspect the territory. In total, 9 snow-white fabulous buildings are planned on the territory. And now there are many interesting sculptures on the territory. 
Dragon spewing water 🙂 
On the territory there is a well where you can throw coins and make wishes. If you get to the center of the well, the wish will come true!
You can write a wish on a special leaf and hang it on a tree. There are several such trees on the territory of the temple. 
You can sign a memory card and put the seal of the White Temple! 
On the territory you can sit down to relax in the shade of trees 
Funny signs indicating that drinking and smoking is evil!
Nearby in the building we bought souvenirs, magnets. Here you can also get acquainted with the paintings of the artist Chalermchai Kositpipat and even buy them.
And on the territory there is such a golden building. What do you think it is? 😎
No, this is not a Buddha palace, this is a toilet 😎 Before entering, you need to take off your shoes and put on changeable shoes. 
Watch a short video we shot near the White Temple in Thailand
How to get to Wat Rong Khun:
- on your own transport: from Chiang Rai you need to go south, towards Chiang Mai for about 13 km.
- by minibus from Chiang Rai for 20 baht (depart from the city center, from the old bus station)
- by bus Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai. Ask to be dropped off near the White Temple.
Opening hours of the White Temple:
The entrance to the temple is open from 7:00 to 17:00 in the low season, and in the high season (November-February) until 18:00. But you can admire Wat Rong Khun at any time of the day or night 🙂
Possibly the most unique temple in the Kingdom of Thailand, the White Temple Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai Province (Chiang Rai) was inspired by Thai artist Chalermchai Kozitpipat. A deeply pious Buddhist renowned for his religious paintings, Chalermchai began designing the building in 1997. However, Wat Rong Khun does not look like a traditional temple.
The artist reimagines Thai art to present it to the modern world. When you pass through the territory of the temple, you find yourself in a surreal vision of the object of Buddhist teachings. Superheroes, movie stars and cartoons become part of the temple murals depicting traditional Buddhist motifs. Fantastic sculptures and architecture form the basis of the overall landscape.
In May 2014, an earthquake caused serious damage to the temple. Initially, the artist stated that he had no plans to restore the building. But later it was decided to reconstruct it to its original form. The unique architectural work impresses tourists from all over the world to this day.
White Temple Concept
Wat Rong Khun White Temple in Thailand is an intricately detailed composition where each element carries deep religious symbolism. Although, according to the Thais, not every meaning of the details is clear to them. Refusing the expected gold, Chalermchai decided to build a temple in white alabaster, symbolizing the purity of the Great Buddha. The mirrors embedded in the structure reflect the light representing the wisdom of the Buddha blazing across the Earth and the Universe.
Much of the temple's messages relate to the theme of desire, greed, passion, and moving towards the sublime through Buddhist teachings. To reach the main temple hall, one must cross a threshold guarded by demons and cross a bridge over an ocean of ghostly hands, ascending from the cycle of death to rebirth. The temple building symbolizes the kingdom of the Buddha and goes back to the state of nirvana.
What to see in the temple?
Thailand White Temple is still in the process of reconstruction. Recently, all the details of the white ubosoth, the main temple hall, have been completed. A number of other buildings are at various stages of construction and finishing. Full recovery is expected to take decades.
- Definitely visit the shimmering White Temple. Walk around the building to see its sculptures and the fish pool.
- Look at the golden toilet. Remember how Chalermchai felt that white was a more appropriate color for a temple? He specifically chose gold for the toilet, being sent to the modern world. Perhaps this is the most luxurious toilet not only in the kingdom, but throughout the world. Apparently, this is a commentary on how people worship worldly desires and what their real value is.
- Visit an art gallery. This relatively small building contains a number of the artist's masterpieces. You can also buy high quality reproductions, books and postcards if you wish.
How to get to the White Temple from Pattaya
Wat Rong Khun is located 13 km from the city of Chiang Rai (Chiang Rai). You can get there by your own transport, heading south towards Chiang Rai. If you leave from Chiang Rai, you can take a bus or minibus from 6 or 7 of the old bus station (Chiang Rai has two main stations - old and new). Ask the bus driver to let you out near Wat Rong Khun.
You can get from Pattaya to the city of Chiang Rai by, it will take about 1.5 hours, the ticket price will cost 1650 baht.
You can also get there by bus. Buses leave from Pattaya Central Station every day, the ticket price is 700-800 baht one way, but the trip will take 12-13 hours. In addition to regular buses, buses with increased comfort also run, so ticket prices are different. The bus is probably the cheapest way to travel around the temple. Since the roads in Thailand are good, the bus ride will be comfortable.
The bus is 20 baht. Buses and minibuses for the way back to Chiang Rai depart from the front of the police station. Most of the routes will be on the way to the city. You can also take a tuk tuk. If you agree with the driver, he can wait and pick you up on the way back.
Temple visit times
Wat Rong Khun is open every day from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm. The art gallery is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:30. On Saturdays and holidays, the gallery is open from 8:00 to 18:00. How long can you spend time in the temple? Plan for approximately 1 hour visit. Visitors usually spend 45 minutes to 2 hours in the temple, depending on how quickly they explore it, how much they rest on the territory, and how much time they spend in the art gallery, retail shops.
Due to the white surface, reflective materials, and the temple's mostly open, unpolished layout, the temple can be hot and bright on warm, sunny days. To avoid the heat, it is better to go there in the early morning, or wear natural fabrics, a hat, take sunscreen, water with you.
If there are a number of eerie images in the building, the temple complex is still bright and cheerful, and you will be surrounded by many other visitors in good spirits. It is visited by many children. While small children may find some of the details scary, the overall atmosphere of the temple is upbeat and full of beauty.
Rules for visiting Wat Rong Khun
The main purpose of traveling to Wat Rong Khun is worship in a holy place. The White Temple is an honored sacred place for the Thais and a place for prayer and ritual. Many Thai tourists visit the temple to see his work. At the same time, they respect it for its religious significance.
Treat the Buddha images with respect and be mindful of your behavior in the main temple hall. Photography is allowed throughout the territory, but not within the walls of the White Temple. It is not allowed to touch sculptures and works of art, and remind your children not to do this.
Casual dress is allowed to enter the territory. As with all temples, avoid revealing clothing. It is not recommended to wear clothes such as short skirts or shorts for women. Short sleeve is good, but tank tops for men or women are not suitable. Before entering the White Temple, it is recommended to take off your shoes.
Temple visit expenses
The entrance to the temple is free for everyone. Due to the disrespectful behavior of some foreign tourists, Wat Rong Khun has recently developed a policy requiring guidance for foreign tourists visiting the main temple building. However, the policy is not always enforced. If you wish to order a guide, the temple has its coordinates. The fee for a tour with a knowledgeable guide is within a few hundred baht. If you enter the grounds without a guide, please treat the temple with respect and refrain from taking photographs.
Video
The Buddhist temple (Wat Rong Khun), located near the city of Chiang Rai in the province of the same name, has become a symbol of modern art in Northern Thailand and one of the most famous. Thousands of people come here to see its unusual appearance and talented painting, similar to the ancient frescoes in Wat Pumin in the city. I was twice in the White Temple Wat Rong Khun in spring and winter and even saw a sculpture that personally painted the inner walls of the ubosota.
In this article, I will tell you all the information about Wat Rong Khun in Thailand and how best to visit it, where it is located and how to get to Wat Rong Khun, and how it is unique among other Thai temples.
(Wat Rong Khun) is a modern private Buddhist temple and art gallery, the brainchild of Thai sculptor and artist Chalemchai Kositpipat. Chalemchai designed and built Wat Rong Khun and opened it to the public in 1997. The temple is located 13 km from the city center of Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand.
The name Wat Rong Khun is better known to Thais, foreigners call it the White Temple of Chiang Rai by the color of its buildings.
Wat Rong Khun was built on the site of an old temple of the same name. It turned out that the restoration of the temple became impossible, and then the artist Chalemchai decided to put his life into building a new temple at his own expense (he had already spent 40 million baht). According to the sculptor, his task is to return the Thais to the Buddhist temple in every sense. He wants to make a place for meditation and for studying the words of the Buddha. Chalemchai suggests that for his contribution to spreading the words of the Buddha, he will gain eternal life.
It is estimated that the work will be completed by 2070, and then there will be 9 buildings on the temple grounds. It is clear that the artist's successors will complete the construction. For now, he's doing his best. Including your own hands. When I first visited Wat Rong Khun, I saw how enthusiastically he was working, painting the walls of the ubosota, while the neighboring viharn was just being built. And on the second visit, I already saw the results of Chalemchay's work and creativity.
Wat Rong Khun is definitely a unique temple! There is nothing like it in all of Thailand! Compared to the city of Nan, the White Temple can be called its spiritual successor. Like Chalemchai Kositpipat, the artists of the Tai Lu people who painted it were also concerned about the sinfulness of people and called for the fulfillment of the precepts of the Buddha.
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Well, with a reflection of their own sinfulness, visitors to the White Temple of Chiang Rai meet immediately at the entrance. Unpleasant monsters stick out of the ground, and dead heads hang from the trees. It's getting creepy. And next to it, the artist’s testaments to modern people are written - do not drink, do not smoke. Apparently monsters are victims of the abuse of this vice.
In the first building on the left you need to buy a ticket. For foreigners, a visit to the White Temple is 50 baht. Thais can enter for free. By the way, it is better to visit it in the morning, when the sun is not so hot, and there are fewer visitors.
There is also a small shop nearby where you can buy postcards or replicas of Chalemchay's paintings, thus supporting his cause. I gladly bought several postcards, as I like the work of this artist. You can also leave a donation (donation) - any amount up to 10,000 baht.
The monks at the golden toilet are photographing something
The territory of the temple is very ennobled. There are cool water coolers everywhere, which is very important when you travel around Thailand. And even the toilets at the temple are made in a modern way and their cleanliness is constantly monitored! The building itself is made of golden color! The artist did not stint and thought about the tourists.
By the way, next to the temple, but not on its territory, of course, there are many restaurants and cafes. Prices are a little higher than usual. However, there you can eat well: both Thai food and pizza. And there is delicious ice cream.
There is one minus - you cannot take pictures inside the temple. But this is the desire of the artist. And his works (reproductions) can be bought at the store if desired.
But let's finally go to the temple of Wat Rong Khun!
To say he's popular is an understatement! There are always a lot of people here. Therefore, you need to choose the time to take a photo. But if it succeeds, then joy overflows. After all, the temple looks so airy! Standing over a transparent pond, the White Temple is reflected in the water and reminds us of the fragility of the human soul - as bright as the temple itself.
Some Chinese tourist asked me to take a picture of him with the White Temple in the background. Then he caught up with us and said that he was learning Russian, and said a few words, wildly embarrassed 
Monks also like to visit different temples as tourists.
But as soon as we approach the entrance to the bridge, we see how unfortunate and twisted hands reach out to us in silent prayer, tormented by their desires. They have become slaves of desire. This is the suffering of those who could not resist vice. Climbing the bridge, we immediately meet two formidable warriors who are ready to kill the one who has not conquered his sins. They are harsh. But in order to pass, one must conquer the ego, the desire. Doesn't it really look like an angel with a flaming sword that stands at the entrance to the Garden of Eden?
Entrance to the temple through the sea of desires
Passion of incessant desires
Bridge of the Cycle of Rebirth
If a person succeeds in conquering his egoistic desires, he is able to cross the bridge. This transition symbolizes death. Now it is not a body, but a soul. He is met by the spirits of death - they decide what is the fate of the soul and whether to let it through the gates of paradise. Again we draw analogies with St. Peter or Osiris, who judges the dead by weighing their hearts.
And if the soul is allowed, it enters paradise. In our case, this is the ubosot of the White Temple. Inside, ubosota walls are painted, artfully blending classic Buddhist themes with contemporary symbols, from nuclear war to movie characters. And most importantly, the red color of fire prevails inside. It is a symbol of life and a symbol of desire. Here the question should be asked: does the artist believe that a person is capable of becoming purer? Or does he see the purification of the soul as an eternal process?
Entrance to heaven
The temple has always been an image and a copy of the human body - what is above is what is below .. The White Temple shows us the hell of the human soul, the suffering that it has to go through in order to survive in the modern world. Fear, despair and temptations surround us throughout life, and the inner fire burns all the dirt that the stupas pick up along the way. Only transformation will lead the soul to a white and pure temple. Only darkness can lead to light.
And the artist shows us this way in the scenery of Wat Rong Kun.
North of Thailand was hit by a powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 points. Its epicenter was just not far from Chiang Rai, and, unfortunately, the White Temple also suffered losses. The sculptor said that he would not restore his brainchild, since he devoted most of his life to it and he did not want to go through the same circles of hell again.
However, a few days later, the investigation stated that the main structures of the temple were not affected. And Chalemchay promised to restore what was destroyed in two years, and then put his life into further work.
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Wat Rong Khun from the province of Chiang Rai is far from the oldest and largest temple in Thailand. It does not contain great Buddhist relics. There are no crowds of pilgrims here. Strictly speaking, it's not even completed yet. However, it is one of the most recognizable temples in the country and one of the main tourist attractions in the northern part of the kingdom.
Among travelers, Wat Rong Khun is better known as the "White Temple". The name, as you might guess, comes from the dazzling white color in which it is completely painted on the outside. This unique color scheme for Thai temple architecture is its main calling card.
Another feature that makes Wat Rong Khun stand out from the rest of Thailand's 33,000 Buddhist temples is its non-canonical iconography. Along with the traditional symbols of Buddhism, among the elements of its decor, one can be surprised to find the “stars” of Western mass culture like Neo from the movie “The Matrix”, the Schwarzenegger T-800 terminator, and even angry birds from a computer game that made a splash in the recent past.
Wat Rong Khun is the most unusual temple in Thailand.
Such an unexpected eclecticism for a religious building, as well as an unusual snow-white color, the White Temple is entirely indebted to its creator, the Thai artist Charlemchai Kositpipat.
Artist, Buddhist, philanthropist
In a sense, the eccentric Mr. Kositpipat himself is one of the features of Wat Rong Khun. He is the sole author of this project, the main creation of his life. Nothing in the White Temple is done without his knowledge; everything here, from the first to the last detail, was invented by him and built exclusively with his personal money.
The biography of Kositpipat is that rare case when one can say that the artist himself painted his own life. He was born on February 15, 1955 in one of the small Thai villages in the province of Chiang Rai. His family, which was poor even by the modest standards of the Thai wilderness, was looked down upon by fellow villagers. It was then that Charlemchai had a desire to escape from the provincial poverty of his small homeland and become rich and famous.
The passion for drawing, which had owned him since childhood, helped to do this. Deciding to become a professional artist, he left for Bangkok and entered one of the metropolitan universities.
Living in a big city, the future creator of the White Temple began to think about the life paths of other people, trying to understand why some artists become rich and successful, while others do not. Carefully analyzing the works of famous masters and noticing what made their creations great, he tried to apply what he found in his paintings.
The efforts were not in vain, and the work of Kositpipat himself began to be popular. By 1978, when Charlemchai graduated from university with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, he was already earning money from his paintings.
Gradually, national fame and success came to him, and he became the most famous artist of his country. Among his wealthy clients was even King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand himself. This, however, was not enough for Kositpipat. He wanted the whole world to talk about him.
This desire came true with the construction of the White Temple.
Piety and ambition
All the work of Charlemchai, starting from the first student works, has always been somehow connected with Buddhism. With age, his commitment to the Buddhist creed only grew. Therefore, when he learned that one of the old temples in his native province of Chiang Rai was completely dilapidated, and the local authorities did not have money to repair it, he decided to personally take on its restoration. And at the same time turn it into the most ambitious art project of my life.
By that time, the 42-year-old Kositpipat was already an established artist and a very wealthy person who could afford to carry out construction exclusively with his own money. This allowed Charlemchai to avoid any outside influence and to embody all his ideas exactly. And there was no shortage of them.
Traditions plus the author's approach
Kositpipat started building the White Temple in 1997. He approached the matter not only creatively, as befits an artist, but also radically. From the old temple, only its former name, Wat Rong Khun, remained, and everything else was invented and rebuilt from scratch.
It must be said that the word “wat” in Thailand does not denote a separate building, but a whole temple complex. Therefore, Wat Rong Khun is correctly understood not as a single standing temple, but as a single architectural ensemble. It, according to the project, includes nine buildings. The construction and finishing of most of them are still not finished.
It is believed that work at Wat Rong Khun will continue for at least half a century.
The Wat Rong Khun temple complex includes nine buildings. Most of them are white. The entire temple complex is a strange mixture of traditional Thai architecture and the imagination of Charlemchai Kositpipat himself. As conceived by the artist, every detail of Wat Rong Khun should carry a certain symbolic meaning and prompt visitors to the temple to think about Buddhism.
Thus, the white color of most of the buildings of Wat Rong Khun symbolizes the purity of Buddhist doctrine, as well as the primacy of the spiritual principle in a person over his base bodily needs. The effect of snow-whiteness is enhanced by pieces of mirrors, with which, like a mosaic, all elements of the external decor are generously laid out. They are meant to portray the sparkling wisdom of Buddhism.
The most important building and the “face” of the entire complex is the snow-white ubosot (in Thailand, this is the name given to the central structure of the wat, which houses the Buddha statue and where prayers and basic religious ceremonies are performed). It is he who attracts the most attention of tourists and flaunts on most photographs taken in Wat Rong Khun.
A magnificent bridge leads to the ubosoth, in front of which hands reach out in a semicircle from under the ground in silent despair. They symbolize the vain pursuit of a person for momentary pleasures and attempts to quench unquenchable passions. All this, according to Buddhist ideas, gives rise to suffering, which can be eliminated only by renouncing earthly attachments and desires. Only then does a person begin his spiritual growth and get a chance to gain nirvana - the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
Hands outstretched upward as a symbol of earthly passions and desires. Bypassing earthly passions and vices, the visitor begins to climb the bridge leading to the ubosot. Passage along it is a symbol of overcoming samsara, the cycle of earthly rebirths, and its top point is the sacred Mount Meru, the mythical center of the Buddhist universe. In accordance with the mythology, in which the mountain is surrounded by sea waters, a small pond is broken under the bridge.
After crossing the bridge, tourists find themselves in front of the entrance to the ubosot. Its three roof levels, traditional for the Buddhist temple architecture of Thailand, symbolize wisdom, concentration and religious precepts. The decoration of the temple, thought out to the smallest detail, is striking.
Inside, the ubosot is decorated with wall paintings made in the author's style of Charlemchai Kositpipat, for which he had previously been criticized by traditionalists.
In 1988-1992, he and another artist painted the walls of the first Thai Buddhist wat in the UK called Buddhapadipa (located in Wimbledon, a southwestern suburb of London). Then, with their light hand, Margaret Thatcher and Mother Teresa appeared on the walls of the temple among the scenes of Buddhist myths, and at the same time the images of the authors themselves.
Not everyone liked the innovative approach, and at first the experimenters were criticized a lot - from the Thai government to other Thai artists and the monks themselves. But gradually the passions subsided, and they got used to the "unformatted" frescoes.
Several years passed, and when designing Wat Rong Khuna, Kositpipat once again decided to give free rein to his imagination. And this time he sent the canons of Buddhist iconography on an even more unrestrained creative flight. Along with the usual images and techniques of temple painting, Charlemchai used characters from Western mass culture as the personification of the vices of modern society. Therefore, on the inner walls of the ubosoth, you can see, for example, Freddy Krueger, the Alien and the terrorist attack on the New York twin towers, as well as, for some reason, Harry Potter and Spiderman.
All covered in gold, absolutely all... the toilet of Wat Rong Khun. Another non-standard creative move of Charlemchai is a large, luxuriously finished and generously gilded ... toilet. According to the author's idea, such a deliberately chic design of a banal toilet should show the futility of a person's pursuit of material wealth and excessive passion for perishable values to the detriment of spiritual development.
Black Day of the White Temple
Starting the construction of the White Temple, Charlemchai Kositpipat was full of enthusiasm and determination to complete it at all costs. However, there was a moment when he almost gave up everything, almost putting an end to the history of Wat Rong Khun.
The artist's hands fell on May 5, 2014, when at 18:08 local time the temple was seriously damaged by an earthquake of magnitude 6.3. Costpipat, who by then had spent almost 20 years of his life and over 40 million Thai baht of personal money on its construction, was close to despair.
After the first examination of the damage received, a dejected Charlemchai told the press that he would not restore the temple, and all its buildings would be demolished for safety reasons. However, immediately after that, words of support from all over the world rained down on him. He received hundreds of phone calls. People urged him not to leave the White Temple, which, in their opinion, had already become the artistic heritage of the whole world.
Assistance was also offered by the Thai government, which immediately sent a team of engineers to Wat Rong Khun to assess the extent of the damage. Their verdict was more than encouraging: the supporting structures and foundations did not suffer critical damage, and the buildings of the temple complex could be restored.
In addition, the Armed Forces and universities of the country promised to help with working hands. Many individuals and organizations also expressed their readiness to provide assistance.
Bridge in front of the ubosot. Visible mirror mosaic. Encouraged by the conclusions of the commission and flattered by the support received, Mr. Kositpipat immediately perked up. On the morning of May 7, he promised that he would restore the White Temple in the next two years, and some buildings would be reopened to tourists the very next day. In addition, the artist explained his first statement about the closure of the temple as a deliberate step. So he allegedly wanted to check whether his work was really important to people and the state.
Currently, work at Wat Rong Khun is ongoing. The author of the project is determined to restore exactly all the wall paintings and decor elements destroyed by the earthquake. In the meantime, due to restoration measures, tourists are temporarily prohibited from taking photos inside the temple.
Wat Rong Khun temple complex is located 13 kilometers southwest of Chiang Rai city. A taxi ride to him will take about twenty minutes and will cost 250 - 300 baht. Public transport (minibus) will cost much less (20 baht), while the travel time will hardly increase and will be about half an hour.
Clothing for visiting the temple should be chosen appropriately. It shouldn't be too open. Bare legs will be especially reprehensible.
Wat Rong Khun is open daily and admission is free. You can support the construction by making a donation, but it should not exceed 10,000 baht, as the artist does not want to fall under the influence of wealthy sponsors. An analogue of a donation will be the purchase of one of the author's paintings by Charlemchai Kositpipat, which are sold in the gallery at the temple.
In general, Wat Rong Khun is very popular with foreign tourists who are brought here by whole buses. Therefore, it is usually quite crowded here. There are also a lot of Thais, but they mostly come on weekends or on holidays.
In the afternoon, when tourists leave, there are much fewer people.
Golden cage for Rajput aristocrats
The history of the emergence of one of the main architectural masterpieces of North India - Jaipur's Hawa Mahal Palace - began long before its actual construction in 1799. Like other cultural features of the region, this building is the result of many centuries of opposition and difficult convergence between Hindu and Islamic traditions. In this sense, Hawa Mahal goes back to the events that began in the 8th century, when Northern India first faced the threat of Muslim expansion.
As you know, at its initial stages, the Indians were lucky. For a long time they managed to successfully repel all the attempts of the newcomers to gain a foothold east of the Indus. However, from the end of the 12th century, various Islamic rulers, despite desperate Indian resistance, nevertheless began to move deep into the subcontinent.
Each step was given advancing with great difficulty. The Rajputs, representatives of different ethnic groups from the varna of Kshatriya warriors, resisted the invaders especially stubbornly. Their small principalities turned out to be a tough nut to crack for Muslims and delayed the Islamic seizure of Indian lands for a long time.
View of the upper two floors of Hawa Mahal from the inside of the building. The Rajput states of the present Indian state of Rajasthan defended their freedom for the longest time with weapons in their hands. Only the mighty Mughal empire was able to turn them into its vassals, but even under the all-powerful Mughal rule, the militant Rajputs rebelled more than once.
Cultural exchange
Despite centuries of enmity, Rajput-Mughal relations were not limited to military conflicts alone. Over the long years of coexistence, representatives of the upper classes of the Rajputs adopted some of their traditions from their overlords. In particular, women from aristocratic Rajput families eventually began to observe purdah, a custom of female seclusion, Muslim in origin. In addition, the Rajputs borrowed many features of their architecture from the Mughals.
The arcades and domes of the Hawa Mahal clearly testify to the Mughal influence on Rajput architecture. It was as a peculiar result of these borrowings that in 1799 a remarkable monument of Indian architecture called Hawa Mahal appeared.
The main symbol of Jaipur
Hawa Mahal is located in Jaipur, the famous Pink City of India, which was founded on November 18, 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II as the new capital of his ancient Rajput principality. Today, this noisy three millionth city is the main city of the largest Indian state - hot and deserted Rajasthan.
Jaipur owes its poetic second name to the color of the sandstone from which its historic center was built. It is here, in the heart of the old city, that the most popular attraction and symbol of Jaipur is located - the Hawa Mahal Palace.
This beautiful five-story building tapering upwards was built in 1799 by the grandson of the founder of Jaipur, Maharaja Pratap Singh. It is believed that the Hawa Mahal was erected in the form of the crown of the god Krishna, to whom the Maharaja was very devoted. The palace harmoniously combines Hindu and Mughal architectural traditions, being a true embodiment of Rajput architecture.
Like the rest of the buildings in the historic center of the city, Hawa Mahal is built of red sandstone. In addition, on the outside it is painted in soft pink, beautifully accentuated with white canvas and patterns.
The most recognizable feature of the Hawa Mahal is the special jharoka balconies that adorn each of the five floors of the building's main façade. They are elegantly decorated with decorative domed canopies and covered with openwork carved screens with tiny windows.
The "comb" of the five-story main facade of the Hawa Mahal is 15 meters high. Despite this, it has very thin walls: their thickness is only 20 centimeters. Jharokas are one of the most characteristic features of Rajput architecture. Interestingly, with all their aesthetic merits, they were not just elements of the artistic decoration of a building, but were built with a clear practical purpose.
Life imprisonment in Rajput
As already mentioned, under the rule of the Great Mughals, the highest aristocracy of Hindu Rajputs adopted the Islamic tradition of purdah. According to her, women of noble Rajput houses were forbidden to appear in front of strangers. In essence, this meant that they were doomed to be locked up for the rest of their lives. The only "interaction" with the outside world for them came down to passive observation of urban everyday life. For this, the closed jharoka balconies characteristic of Rajput architecture were invented, which came in handy during the construction of the Hawa Mahal.
The intricately decorated outer wall of the Hawa Mahal contrasts sharply with the unpretentious appearance of its rear facade, which (like the interior of the building) is quite simple and almost devoid of decorations. The fact is that Hawa Mahal is directly adjacent to the women's wing of the huge City Palace complex. For the aristocrats who lived there from the princely house of the Maharaja of Jaipur, it was built. Each of the women in the Hawa Mahal was assigned a small personal room, closed from prying eyes by the jharoka. Being there, the mistress of the room could quietly observe the forbidden street life of the city.
natural conditioner
In addition to the Rajput balconies, an interesting feature of the Hawa Mahal is its ability to easily let cool outside air pass through it. For this, he, in fact, got his name, which translates as "Palace of the Winds."
Valuable for sultry Rajasthan, the property of self-cooling appeared at Hawa Mahal thanks to its special flat layout. Of the palace's five floors, the top three are only one room thick, allowing the wind to roam freely throughout the building. In addition, earlier the natural air conditioning system was supplemented with fountains.
The unusual palace of Hawa Mahal with its openwork jharok balconies is very popular with tourists. Jaipur is well connected to the rest of India by road and rail and has an international airport nearby, so there are always a lot of both local and foreign visitors.
Since the Hawa Mahal was a kind of iron curtain between the women of the princely house and the outside world, it has no entrance from the main facade. Everyone who had the right to enter here did so from the territory of the City Palace. Today, to get inside, you need to bypass the Hawa Mahal on the left.
The palace does not have the usual stairs to climb to the upper floors. Instead, special ramps are arranged. Passing through the majestic entrance gate, the visitor finds himself in a spacious courtyard, surrounded on three sides by two-story buildings. On the fourth side is the Hawa Mahal itself, closing the courtyard from the east. Tourists can climb to the very top of the building and enjoy beautiful views of the city. From above, for example, the famous Jantar-Mantar observatory and the City Palace are perfectly visible.
There is also a small archaeological museum in Hawa Mahal. The miniature paintings on display here and rich exhibits like ceremonial armor will help visitors to relive images of the distant Rajput past in their imagination.
Hawa Mahal is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The best time to visit is in the early morning, when the Palace of the Winds looks especially stunning, exuding an orange-pink glow in the golden rays of the rising sun.
Entrance fee for adult foreigners is 50 Indian rupees; students pay twice as much. Guide services will cost 200 rupees, an audio guide in English - 110.
Quick guide for travelers
This is the final part of the project prepared website articles about the features of ancient Egyptian temples. The previous two talked about them, as well as about. This time we will talk about the difficult fate of the temples of Ancient Egypt, and those of them that are best preserved to this day will be briefly listed.
At the zenith of glory and power
The biographies of the ancient Egyptian "houses of god" developed differently both during the time of the pharaohs and after the time of their power remained in the distant past. Some temples fell into decay and disappeared even in the heyday of Egyptian statehood, others were destined to survive more than one foreign invasion and become silent witnesses of the final decline of the civilization that gave birth to them.
Without exception, all the Egyptian kings tried to build and maintain temples in every possible way. Each pharaoh tried to surpass his predecessors in this, since it was believed that inattention to the cult deprives him of the protection of the gods, and with it his power. Therefore, temple construction was constantly carried out in Ancient Egypt, and many important “houses of god”, having already been created, continued to acquire more and more new buildings. Even many centuries after their founding, they had new pylons, open courtyards, obelisks, statues and decoration; temples acquired regular land holdings.
At the same time, it was often necessary to sacrifice the already existing "houses of the gods", which were demolished, rebuilt, or simply used as quarries, turning them into a cheap source of building materials.
The clearest example of this is the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak. The first sanctuary in its place was built, as is believed, during the XII dynasty of the Middle Kingdom, but it became the most important temple of the country four centuries later, under the new Egyptian XVIII dynasty. After that, Karnak retained the status of the main sacred center of Egypt for more than a thousand years.
During this time, the temple was repeatedly rebuilt and expanded. Pharaoh after pharaoh enlarged the Karnak house of Amun, adding their own or altering parts already erected by their predecessors. As a result, over more than two millennia of transformation, the temple was overgrown with an incredible number of various buildings (there were as many as ten pylons alone!), and over time, about 20 smaller temples appeared within its huge temenos.
On a smaller scale, but still in a similar way, things were with the houses of other ancient Egyptian gods. Many of them have also been rebuilt and rebuilt many times, sometimes completely anew.
View of the first, second and third pylons of the famous Great Temple of Amun at Karnak. © Cartu13 | Dreamstime.com – Karnak Ruins Photo Both in the construction of new temples and in the alteration of old ones, Egyptian rulers often used the creations of previous pharaohs as a convenient source of building stone. So, during the construction of the third pylon of the same Great Temple of Amun in Karnak, several earlier buildings belonging to Senusret I, Amenhotep I and Thutmose IV, as well as the famous Queen Hatshepsut, were dismantled and used for building materials.
In an effort to associate their name with such a charitable deed as the construction of temples, the ancient Egyptian kings not only did not shy away from destroying the works of their predecessors for this, but also did not disdain to appropriate other people's merits in this field. This usually happened when one or another pharaoh was not able to build anything significant himself, or in order to erase the memory of the deeds of some former rulers. For this, a kind of “hijacking” of already existing temples or their parts was undertaken, where, by order of the ruling pharaoh, all references to their real builders were destroyed, and the name of the “hijacker” king was prescribed instead.
By the end of the New Kingdom, this practice had become so widespread that the pharaohs, when building temples, had to cut cartouches with hieroglyphs of their names a good dozen centimeters deep, hoping that this would make it impossible for the next kings to use their merit.
Cartouche with the throne name of Ramesses III in his memorial temple in Medinet Habu. Hoping to stop the usurpation of his temples by subsequent rulers, Ramesses III ordered inscriptions on their walls and columns in very deep relief, often to a depth of more than 10 centimeters. However, not only pharaohs-losers "interrupted numbers" on other people's monuments of architecture. Even the greatest builder of Ancient Egypt, Ramses II, did not hesitate to do so, having built many of his own outstanding temples.
In general, until the end of the New Kingdom, the total number of ancient Egyptian "houses of god" steadily increased. Of course, there were also cases when, for one reason or another, some of them fell into disrepair and disappeared. For example, many temples were destroyed by the forces of nature: groundwater, Nile floods and earthquakes. However, in general, favored by the attention of the pharaohs and having large material resources, the temples prospered.
Radical changes in the fate of the "houses of God" came with the end of Egyptian independence.
Twilight of the Ancient Egyptian Gods
After the fall of the New Kingdom, ancient Egypt fell on hard times. From the 11th century B.C. e. Egyptian history has become a series of turmoil, fragmentation and foreign domination, punctuated only occasionally by short bursts of independence and national unity.
The vicissitudes of this turbulent period could not but be reflected in the Egyptian temples. Thus, many "houses of God" were destroyed during the Assyrian and second Persian invasions. The Egyptians managed to partially compensate for these losses in the era of the Sais Renaissance and the efforts of the pharaoh of the XXX dynasty Nectanebo I. Later, intensive temple construction was also carried out under the Ptolemies and the Romans, that is, after Egypt finally lost its independence. However, the days of the greatness of the ancient Egyptian temples were already numbered.
With the adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD. e. the pagan sanctuaries of Egypt were outlawed. They were defiled by Christian fanatic vandals, they were closed by imperial decrees, used as quarries.
Temples built of limestone were especially hard hit (most of the "houses of god" north of Luxor were such; south, temples were usually built of sandstone). In the 5th century, their destruction on an unprecedented scale unfolded: the limestone of ancient Egyptian monuments was burned into lime, which was used for the construction needs of the new regime. In addition, many temples were converted into churches.
The last functioning Egyptian "house of the god" was believed to be the temple of Isis on the island of Philae. It was forcibly closed by a Byzantine military expedition under the command of the eunuch commander Narses around 535 AD. e.
Of course, Islam, which came to the country in the 7th century, did not bring any good news to the Egyptian temples. The destruction of temples continued, but instead of churches, mosques were now being built in them.
During the Byzantine period, several churches were built on the territory of the Luxor Temple of Amun. In the 13th century, they were replaced by a mosque, which still functions today. The number of ancient Egyptian temples declined even after the advent of modern Egyptology and interest in the history of ancient Egypt. So, already at the beginning of the 19th century, during the industrialization undertaken by the Egyptian Pasha Muhammad Ali, a campaign was again launched to burn the surviving "houses of God" to lime, which ruined many beautiful monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture.
As a result, to date, in Egypt, in more or less complete form, you can see only a small part of the former splendor of its ancient temple architecture. Basically, these are those "houses of the gods" that were located far from the Nile and densely populated places. There they were protected from destruction by people (especially if they were covered with sand) and the destructive floods of the great river. It is these temples that today represent the best preserved examples of the religious architecture of Ancient Egypt.
The most famous ancient Egyptian temples
In conclusion - a short annotated list of the most famous and best preserved ancient Egyptian temples. Each of them is a unique example of the architectural heritage of the country of the pharaohs and is worth visiting.
The list contains not only the "houses of the gods", but also the so-called "houses of millions of years" - memorial temples built by the pharaohs for the eternal administration of their funeral cult. Despite the fact that, contrary to the aspirations of their deified creators, services in such temples usually stopped shortly after the death of the pharaohs who built them, some of them are well preserved. During the period of the New Kingdom, "houses of millions of years" were built, as a rule, on the model of "houses of God."
From the time of the Old Kingdom, only a few poorly preserved temples survived. The most famous and best preserved of them is the monumental granite temple of pharaoh Khafre, which was once part of the funerary complex of buildings at his pyramid in Giza.
The temples of the Middle Egyptian period have practically not been preserved. The most significant of the remaining memorial temple of the XI dynasty pharaoh Mentuhotep II in Deir el-Bahri. Its ruins are located side by side with the famous temple of Queen Hatshepsut, for which he served as an architectural model.
To the left of the world-famous temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahri is the poorly preserved and much older memorial temple of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II. It was his unusual layout that was taken as a basis by the architects of the famous New Egyptian ruler. Another example of Middle Egyptian temples is the so-called " white chapel”, a small elegant temple of Pharaoh Senusret I, built by him in Thebes in honor of the 30th anniversary of his reign. In the era of the New Kingdom, the chapel was dismantled for building materials and restored by archaeologists in the 20th century.
Incomparably more Egyptian temples have survived from the era of the New Kingdom. The most famous and outstanding of them is the huge Karnak temple complex in the capital of the New Egyptian state of Thebes (now Luxor). With an area of more than 100 hectares, it is the second largest (after the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia) temple complex in the world. Its main "house of the god" is the Great Temple of Amun with a colossal hypostyle hall and ten pylons. In addition to him, the Karnak temple complex also includes the temples of the wife of Amon, the goddess Mut and their son Khonsu, as well as numerous sanctuaries of other deities and pharaohs.
Near Karnak is closely related Luxor Temple of Amun. This is the southernmost of the "houses of god" on the eastern shore of the ancient Egyptian capital. It has one and a half thousand years of continuous construction - starting from the reign of the pharaohs of the XVIII dynasty and ending with the era of the Christianization of the Roman Empire.
Many remarkable monuments of Egyptian temple architecture are located on the western coast of Thebes. Here, not far from the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom arranged their tombs, their funeral temples were also erected, of which three are the most famous.
First, this memorial temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahri. Lying in ruins at the start of excavations in 1891, today this magnificent temple has been carefully restored and is a true masterpiece of ancient Egyptian temple architecture. It belongs to a kind of rocky variety of "houses of millions of years."
Not far to the south of it, in a place called Gurna, there is a rather poorly preserved memorial temple of Ramesses II. With the light hand of Champollion, who visited the temple in 1829, he is also known as Ramesseum. Once it was an impressive structure even by the standards of Ramesses II, but over the past millennia, it has suffered significant damage.
Unfortunately, the memorial temple of the great Ramesses II in Gurna (also known as the Ramesseum) is rather poorly preserved. Southwest of the Ramesseum is memorial temple of RamessesIII at Medinet Habu- one of the most impressive religious buildings of ancient Egypt. The building of this temple for the most part escaped destruction (except for the destruction of temple statues and other similar “little things” by Christian vandals) and was perfectly preserved.
In addition to this famous trinity, in the Theban necropolis there is another remarkable "house of millions of years" - memorial temple of SetiI in Qurna. Located near the Ramesseum and badly damaged, it is almost unknown to tourists today. However, this temple was once very important - it was here that the statue of the god Amun made its first stop when it was transported to the west bank of the Nile during the Beautiful Festival of the Valley.
Much better preserved (and therefore more popular with travelers) mortuary temple of Seti I at Abydos. It was dedicated to Osiris, Isis and Pharaoh Seti I himself, during whose lifetime the temple was never completed. The construction had to be completed by his son, the famous Ramesses II. One of the main features of this temple is the so-called Abydos King List - a list of all the pharaohs who ruled in Egypt, from the legendary Mendes to Seti I, carved on its walls.
Magnificent monuments of New Egyptian architecture are rock memorial temples of Ramses II and Nefertari in Abu Simbel. They are located in the south of modern Egypt, in historical Nubia, and are famous not only for their outstanding artistic merit, but also for their recent history of salvation.
Due to the construction of the Aswan Dam, which began in 1960, the temples in Abu Simbel (like many other archaeological sites in southern Egypt) were in the zone of future flooding. In 1964 - 1968, both the large and small (pictured) temples of Abu Simbel were cut into blocks and moved to a higher place. The best-preserved Egyptian temples date back to the last millennium of the existence of Ancient Egypt - the Greco-Roman period of its history (IV century BC - VI century AD).
One of them is located 60 km north of Luxor Temple of Hathor in Dendera. It is unusual in that it does not have a pylon. But he has two (and, moreover, unique) mammisia at once. The first was built by Pharaoh Nectaneb I and is the oldest "birth house" that has come down to our time. The second, the most developed from an architectural point of view of all known temples of this kind, dates back to Roman times.
The same goddess as in Dendera is dedicated to the one built in the 3rd century BC. e. Temple of Hathor in Deir el-Medina. It is quite small, but it has been preserved relatively untouched, including the temple fence made of raw brick.
One of the latest ancient Egyptian "houses of god" - temple of Khnum in Esna- located 55 km south of Luxor. It began to be built under Ptolemy VI, and the Romans had to finish the work. Today it is located right in the middle of the modern city. Of the entire temple, only the hypostyle hall remained, but it is in good condition.
Further south, halfway between Luxor and Aswan is Temple of Horus at Edfu. Today it is the best preserved Egyptian "house of god", and therefore it is very popular with tourists. The temple was built for 180 years, from 237 to 57 BC. e., and was completed by Ptolemy XII, father of the famous Queen Cleopatra. The oldest element of the temple is a four-meter granite naos of Pharaoh Nectaneb II, which went to the current Ptolemaic sanctuary from the earlier "house of god" that stood on this site.
Further south is a unique "double" Temple of Sebek and Horus the Elder in Kom Ombo. It is curious because it has an unusual “mirror” plan: the temple is divided into two absolutely identical halves, the first of which is dedicated to the crocodile-headed god Sebek, and the second to one of the incarnations of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Several temples were once located on the island of Elephantine, strategically located near the ancient southern border of Egypt (opposite modern Aswan). Two of them - the small temples of Thutmose III and Amenhotep III - remained virtually untouched until the beginning of the 19th century. Unfortunately, in 1822 they were barbarously destroyed by order of the local authorities (they were burnt to lime). Today, only the granite gates of the Hellenistic period from temple of the god Khnum. Also on the island, archaeologists partially restored Temple of the Goddess Satet(the wife of Khnum), which had the largest nilometer in Egypt, which was used until the 19th century.
Unlike Elephantine, where the oldest archaeological finds date back to the early dynastic period, the temples on the island of Philae, located a little to the south, appeared relatively late. It became an important religious center only during the reign of the Ptolemies. The well-preserved Temple of Isis on the island of Philae, which is considered the most beautiful of all the existing Egyptian "houses of god".
The first pylon and entrance to the temple of Isis on the island of Philae. Climbing the Nile even further south, you can see Temple of Mandulis at Kalabsha. Dedicated to the local Nubian deity, whom the Egyptians identified with their Horus, it was built during the reign of the last Ptolemies and completed under Emperor Augustus. Originally, the temple was located on the banks of the Nile in a place called Bab el-Kalabsha, 50 km south of the current Aswan Dam. In 1962 - 1963, it was disassembled into 13 thousand parts and then transported and recreated in a new place - the island of New Kalabsha.
In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that as a result of the grandiose international campaign of 1959-1980 to save the architectural monuments of Nubia from flooding, four small ancient Egyptian temples ended up outside of Egypt. In gratitude for their help in archaeological work, they were donated to Spain ( temple of Amun from Debod, now stands in Madrid), the Netherlands ( Temple of Emperor Octavian Augustus of Taffa, now in the Leiden State Museum of Antiquities), USA ( Temple of Isis from Dendur, now in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Italy ( rock temple of Thutmose III from Ellesia, which was transferred to the Egyptian Museum of Turin).
It is impossible to overestimate the degree of luck that it took for all the temples listed above to survive to this day. Over the past millennia, they were lucky enough to survive many natural adversities and foreign invasions. But what is most surprising is that they somehow miraculously passed the long centuries of religious intolerance, which, like the sword of Damocles, hung over them ever since the voices of the priests were forever silenced in them and the smoke of the last incense melted away.
Fortunately, now for the first time in almost two thousand years, the temples of Ancient Egypt are beyond the threat of destruction. They are internationally recognized as an integral part of the cultural treasury of mankind. Many ancient Egyptian temples are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Of course, solemn services within their walls have sunk into oblivion forever. The old ceremonies were replaced by noisy tourist fuss, and the only obligatory rituals were camera and souvenir chores. But even now, wandering through the pillared halls and porticos of the ancient Egyptian "houses of God", you can still catch an echo of their former purpose. As before, they proudly look at the human chaos reigning around them, and in spite of everything they continue to remain strongholds of maat - the eternal order of the universe.
