World's largest gold statue is a 5.5 ton Buddha

U.S. Gold Bureau (usgoldbureau.com) edited by Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Wisdom Quarterly

The History of Thailand's Temple of the Golden Buddha (windstarcruises.com)

The Buddha: world's largest gold statue (U.S. Gold Bureau)

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The Buddha's skin was golden and radiant.

Where would you think the world's largest gold statue is located? And did you know it was of the historical Buddha?

If you guessed Chinatown, Thailand, then you are correct.

The statue is called the Phra Sukhothai Traimit or the "Golden Buddha" at Wat Traimit. It is made with 5.5 tons of solid gold and stands nearly 10 feet tall, according to Thaiways Magazine.

Gold is a fixture in Southeast Asian art

Located near Chinatown in Bangkok, the Buddha statue is positioned in the traditional half-lotus sitting pose and vibrantly displays his serene majesty.

The Korea Times explains that the hundreds of daily visitors are taken aback by the statue when they see it in person. Apparently, even the most jaded onlookers are inspired by the power the Golden Buddha seems to emit.

 

Buddha in standard Thai style

Besides the enormity of the statue, the interesting thing about it is its discovery. Historians believe it was covered with plaster at some point after its creation, estimated to be somewhere between the 13th and 15th century, in order to keep it hidden from invaders.

In the 1930s the statue was housed in a simple building filled with old Thai artifacts. The Korea Times explains that it was not until 1955 that the Golden Buddha was discovered for what it really is.

"Medicine Buddha," Nepal

In an effort to move the plastered statue to a new temple, the crane dropped it the mud. The next morning, a temple monk found that a rainstorm had caused the plaster to begin cracking.

Through the cracks the gold could be seen, and it was discovered to be entirely made of gold. Consider visiting the Golden Buddha when you are next in Theravada Buddhist Bangkok.

In addition to everything else, a chance to see the world's largest gold statue will be well worth the entire trip. More