Loha Prasat and Wat Ratchanaddaram

I came here once before, a number of years ago, before its recent restoration. At that time, from what I remember, the central stairwell was metal, not the lovely wood it is now, and there was a general feeling of neglect about the place. The maze of corridors were unkempt and it was full of mangy dogs, but now it is a real pleasure to walk through, and the only animals are happy looking cats.It is, famously, the only building of its kind in the world, with the original structures in Sri Lanka and India, upon which it was based, no longer in existence.

Loha Prasat is usually translated as metal castle or bronze palace, and it looks like an elaborate wedding cake. Building began in 1846 and there are, apparently, 37 metal spires on its five concentric square towers, and the top is 36 metres high.It is a joy. Since the restoration it is neat and airy and the open walkways are fascinating to explore. There are many beautiful shrines, lots of light, and the red tiled floor is spotlessly clean.

The white arches of the corridors make great frames for the cityscapes, and its a real pleasure to get close to the copper spires you'd previously only admired from the ground.The views become more dramatic with each floor you ascend, it's amazing how much of Bangkok you can see from here, and Ikumi and I took out our map and spent some time identifying temples across the city. The most dramatic view is that of the nearby Golden Mount, looking almost as if it's perched on the roof of Wat Ratchanaddaram's main building, but it's equally breathtaking in every direction. At the very top is a final climb, to the very summit, where a small shrine holds a relic of the Buddha.

People take turns paying respect, waiting patiently at the bottom of the narrow steps while pilgrims kneel and quietly chant. There's even a sign in English providing the few words of Pali that I already know, and Ikumi and I repeated them into the breeze.

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa