Loha Prasat Temple [โลหะปราสาท]

Bangkok may have many famous and beautiful temples, but none can be compared to Loha Prasat. It

Wat Ratchanatdaram.

is the only brazen temple in the world. It has therefore been called 'Metal Castle'. Its conception is quite unusual. It adopts a pyramidal shape with a highly symbolical significance. But due to the fact that it is part of a larger monastery called Wat Ratchanatdaram it has remained rather unknown. Indeed, besides the fact that a small donation of THB20 is requested, very few visitors take the pain to go inside. As a matter of fact, the interior is even more intriguing than the outside.

1.The history of Loha Prasat.

It is said that at the time of Buddha, 25 centuries ago, there existed a huge Loha Prasat in India that had 1,000 rooms. A second was also built in Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka. However, both constructions have disappeared.

At the time of Rama III, in Thailand in 1846, the king commissioned the construction of a monastery called Wat Ratchadatdaram Worawihan, where Loha Prasat now is.

Now...

...and before.

2.The Architecture.

2.1.Viewed from outside – The plan is set as a perfect square, holding a three-tiered structure giving the impression of being a sort of pyramid.

2.2.The layout of the interior – The square shape is even more conspicuous inside: it is made of three successive square figures. The middle one has a circular staircase leading above. From this

A view of the maze inside.

central point, there are four alleys forming a cross. So it is interesting to note that all the basic universal symbols are included there: the dot, the circle, the cross, and the square.

But what is even more unusual is that it looks like a labyrinth. The darkness of the first tier reminds that of a huge cave. It seems to represent a deliberate attempt to express Man's blindness before enlightenment since the next upper tier is already widely brighter and displays a long series of Buddha statues or heads.

2.3.The external decoration – The reason it has been called the 'Metal Castle', is due to the fact that many of the external decorative structures are made of black metal. They are made of brass, which is an alloy of zinc and copper. Until the recent renovation, the metallic structures had all been black. It is a sharp contrast to the whiteness of the shrine standing as an architectural testimony of the yin and the yang.

However, in its newer form Loha Prasat keeps its black metallic decorations on the first tier only. The other two levels have all been gilded.

3.The Symbolic Layout.

As it is often the case in architecture, the visual symbols are made of shapes and numbers. Being a religious monument, it stands to represent the values of the Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.

The geometric representations have already been mentioned. The pyramidal shape of Loha Prasat represents a mountain. And here particularly, it is meant to be a stylization of Mount Meru. Yet, most other temples use a similar comparison. The difference appears in the multiplication of these shapes. The square stands for the Earth. The central circular staircase marks the axis linking the lower world to the realm of the upper. The cross indicates the four universal directions.

Visual representation of AUM.

The implication of numbers becomes more elaborate. The whole structure is 36 meters high. By adding 3 + 6, it gives 9, a highly symbolic number in the East. As it is the last of the single digit numbers, it bears the highest divine connotation. Nine is three times three. And the shrine clearly reveals three levels. In Hinduism, the Trimurthi represents the 3 cosmic functions of creation, maintenance and destruction. The supreme triad of the deities shows Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer). Three is also an important Buddhist number as it stands for the mystical AUM, a manifestation of the 3 states of consciousness. Its visual sign is made of 3 curves; it is made of 3 letters; it has 3 hidden sounds.

Each of the spires on the temple has 5 levels. Five symbolizes the human body. In the East, there are five elements. So 5 stands for the planet earth.

Whether it is 3, 5 or 9, they are always odd numbers, which represent the mysterious side as opposed

Inside the top spire.

to even numbers. Among the universal symbols, 2 stands for Man, whereas 3 stands for Woman. The same cosmic duality exists between the Sun and the Moon. In the Greek mythology, the sun was a male god and the moon a goddess.

Loha Prasat is also adorned with 37 (originally) black metal spires. They are laid out in three different ways:

-the bottom level has 24 spires,

-the middle one is made of 12 spires,

-the top level has only 1 containing a relic from Buddha.

These 37 spires represent the 37 virtues required to reach enlightenment.

4.The underlying significance of the structure.

Shapes & numbers are important in Hindu symbolism. Numbers may be known as the Arabic numbers but the zero, an essential decimal digit, originates from India. The wheel on the Indian flag is but a visual reminder. For Hindus and Buddhists zero is the manifestation of Life in its original form. The Dharma Wheel shows the path to Nirvana in its everlasting movement through Time. Zero is also represented by the human navel, a source of one of Buddha's contemplations.

Loha Prasat is part of a monastery. It stands as a visual structure symbolizing the ways to reach enlightenment. While being there, each level holds an explanatory sign explaining its location and its meaning on the long path to nirvana.

This temple is so unique in its conception as well as in its revelation that it is being considered as a next UNESCO World Heritage site. Perhaps, this is the reason behind the latest renovation. There is only one monument like this in the world today.

Christian Sorand

Other links:

Wat Ratchanatdaram

Loha Prasat (Renown Travel)

The Trimurti

The mystical number nine

A corner spire symbolizing number 5

Roof detail of the Hamsa bird.