Bangkok’s Temple of Dawn pagoda, also known as Wat Arun, will officially reopen this year-end after a three-year closure for repairs and renovation.
Under direction from Thailand’s Fine Arts Department, Wat Arun started undergoing renovation over three years ago, specifically to secure the base of a 66.8m-high pagoda decorated with seashells and bits of Chinese porcelain, the main feature of the temple.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand, said: “This was the biggest repair and renovation work to take place on the temple in recent memory using the latest restoration technology.”
The completion of renovations will be commemorated in a 10-day long celebration from December 27, 2017 to January 5, 2018. The festivities will include a tribute to King Taksin, who ordered the previously mentioned restoration of the temple during his reign, along with Thai dance performances and an exhibition on the temple’s history.