The world’s largest solid-gold Buddha is the Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit in Bangkok. Officially named Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon, this seated image is about 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall and weighs approximately 5.5 metric tonnes. Its gold body, Sukhothai-style form, protective plaster covering, and revelation in 1955 make it a remarkable meeting of Buddhist devotion, artistic skill, and cultural continuity.
Wat Traimit, formally Wat Traimit Withayaram Worawihan, is often called the Temple of the Golden Buddha in English. The temple, the building that houses the image, and the Buddha image itself are related but distinct: Wat Traimit is the temple; Phra Maha Mondop is the structure within the complex; Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon is the sacred image.
Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit: quick facts
| Question | Reliable summary |
|---|---|
| Where is it? | Wat Traimit Withayaram Worawihan, Bangkok, Thailand |
| What is its formal name? | Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon |
| How tall is it? | About 3 meters (9.8 feet) |
| How much does it weigh? | Approximately 5.5 metric tonnes (5,500 kilograms) |
| What is it made from? | Solid gold alloy, assembled in fitted sections |
| When was it made? | The date is unknown; its style points to the Sukhothai period |
| When was the gold revealed? | 25 May 1955, during a move at Wat Traimit |
| What record does it hold? | Guinness World Records lists it as the world’s largest solid-gold sculpture |
Why it is the world’s largest solid-gold Buddha
Guinness World Records identifies the image as the world’s largest solid-gold sculpture. The category is about material and mass, not height. Many much taller Buddha statues are made from bronze, concrete, stone, or steel and finished with gold leaf, gilding, paint, or tiles. Wat Traimit’s Buddha is different because gold alloy forms the sculptural body itself.
“Solid gold” should not be confused with a modern jewelry fineness mark such as 24K or 999. Large historical castings use gold alloys, and published descriptions give different purity figures for different sections of this image. Without a current primary technical analysis that resolves those figures, it is more accurate to describe the statue as a solid gold-alloy sculpture than to call the entire image 99.9% pure gold.
Height, weight, posture, and Sukhothai style
The most dependable concise measurements are approximately 3 meters high and 5.5 metric tonnes in weight. Some visitor materials include the pedestal or use different measuring points, which helps explain why larger height figures circulate online. Using the record holder’s stated 3-meter height avoids false precision.
The Buddha is seated in maravijaya, the earth-touching gesture associated with the Buddha’s awakening and victory over Mara. His right hand reaches over the knee toward the earth while the left rests in his lap. The flame-like finial, gently modeled body, calm expression, and balanced silhouette are characteristic of Sukhothai artistic language. These details convey composure and awakening rather than material display.
When was the Golden Buddha made?
The exact date, original patron, and first temple are not known. Guinness notes that the image’s style suggests it was cast during the Sukhothai era, when the Sukhothai kingdom existed from the 13th to the 15th century. It is therefore safer to say Sukhothai-period or Sukhothai-style than to assign a single year or repeat “made 700 years ago” as a documented fact.
The image was made in fitted sections, a practical achievement for casting and moving such a large metal sculpture. Its craftsmanship belongs to a living history of Buddhist image-making, in which form, gesture, material, and acts of offering work together.
The plaster covering: history and tradition
At some point, plaster or stucco covered the golden surface and made the image appear to be an ordinary large plaster Buddha. The widely told explanation is that the covering protected it from theft during conflict. Guinness describes this as the most likely reason, but the surviving record does not establish every person, date, and decision behind the concealment.
For that reason, stories about royal orders, monks keeping a secret for exactly two centuries, or a specific invasion should be understood as temple tradition and later retelling rather than a fully documented sequence. What is certain is the material evidence: a gold Buddha remained beneath a plaster shell until the 20th century.
How the Golden Buddha was revealed in 1955
On 25 May 1955, the plaster-covered image was being moved at Wat Traimit. During the move it was accidentally dropped, damaging the outer covering and exposing gold beneath. Removing more of the plaster revealed the scale of the gold sculpture.
This careful version preserves the heart of the event without turning it into a miracle story. Details about a sudden storm, a broken rope, a flash of gold seen by an abbot, people falling to their knees, or workers striking the shell dramatically are repeated in popular accounts but are not necessary to understand the well-supported discovery.
What gold means in Buddhist art
Across many Buddhist cultures, gold can evoke light, clarity, precious offering, merit, and the dignity of awakening. Donors may offer gold leaf, commission images, or contribute fine materials as a way of giving something precious in reverence. The purpose is not the worship of wealth. The material helps create a radiant and dignified presence for an image of the Buddha.
At Wat Traimit, that meaning is deepened by the contrast between the modest plaster exterior and the luminous body it protected. The image invites reflection on patience, inner worth, generosity, and the way cultural memory can endure through uncertainty. It offers worshippers and visitors a quiet space for respect and contemplation.
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Visiting Wat Traimit in Bangkok
Wat Traimit stands in Bangkok’s Samphanthawong district near Yaowarat, the city’s historic Chinatown. The Golden Buddha is housed on the upper level of Phra Maha Mondop. The complex also presents exhibitions about the image and the surrounding Chinese-Thai community, but the Buddha remains a sacred object of devotion rather than simply a museum display.
Current hours, admission, and access
As checked on 3 August 2026, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s official listing gives daily opening hours of 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and admission of 100 baht, approximately US$3 at the late-July 2026 Bank of Thailand reference rate. The official listing places the temple about a 10-minute walk from Hua Lamphong MRT station. Follow on-site ticket, museum, photography, and access signs, since arrangements within an active temple can change.
Respectful temple etiquette
- Choose clothing that covers shoulders and knees.
- Remove shoes wherever signs or local practice require it.
- Keep voices low and give worshippers space.
- Do not touch the Buddha image, altar, offerings, or barriers.
- Avoid pointing feet toward the Buddha or using the shrine as a casual photo backdrop.
- Follow the current on-site photography signs rather than assuming that photos are always allowed or forbidden.
A hidden treasure, understood with care
The Golden Buddha is extraordinary because several kinds of value meet in one image: sacred presence, Sukhothai artistic form, rare gold-alloy construction, skilled casting, and a history of concealment and survival. Its record is best stated precisely, without converting the image into a gold-price calculation or adding dramatic details that cannot be verified.
Seen this way, the statue carries a warm and enduring message. Preciousness can be offered with generosity, dignity can remain present beneath a humble surface, and cultural memory can return to light. Wat Traimit gives both devotees and visitors a place to pause with that story in an atmosphere of respect.
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