The Golden Mount at Night
The Golden Mount (Phu Khao Thong in Thai), is a steep artificial hill in the compound of Wat Saket in Bangkok. King Rama III (1787–1851) decided to build a large chedi at Wat Saket. Unfortunately, the chedi collapsed during construction because the soft soil of Bangkok could not support the weight. Over the next few decades, the abandoned mud-and-brick structure acquired the shape of a natural hill and was overgrown with weeds. During the reign of King Rama IV, construction began of a smaller chedi on the hill. It was completed early in the reign of his son, King Rama V (1853–1910).