Golden Buddha (statue)

Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon
พระพุทธมหาสุวรรณปฏิมากร
The Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit, Bangkok
Interactive map of Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon
LocationWat Traimit, Samphanthawong, Bangkok, Thailand
TypeBuddha statue (Maravijaya attitude)
MaterialGold
Height3 m (9.8 ft)
Weight5.5 t (12,000 lb)
Dedicated toGautama Buddha

The Golden Buddha (Thai: หลวงพ่อทองคำ, RTGSLuang Pho Thongkham), officially titled Phra Phuttha Maha Suwanna Patimakon (Thai: พระพุทธมหาสุวรรณปฏิมากร; Sanskrit: Buddhamahāsuvarṇapaṭimākara), commonly known in Thai as Phra Sukhothai Traimit (Thai: พระสุโขทัยไตรมิตร), is a gold Maravijaya Attitude seated Buddharupa statue, with a weight of 5.5 tonnes (12,125 lb). It is located in the temple of Wat Traimit, Bangkok, Thailand. At one point in its history, the statue was covered with a layer of stucco and coloured glass to conceal its true value, and it remained in this condition for almost 200 years, ending up as what was then a pagoda of minor significance. During relocation of the statue in 1955, the plaster was chipped off and the beautiful shining gold revealed. Guinness World Records recognizes the image as both the world's largest solid gold sculpture and, by intrinsic gold value, the most valuable object of religion.