The domed upper level of the pedestal, representing Mount Meru (the centre of the Buddhist universe), is brashly beautiful. A towering, techni-coloured hall rich with iconography and artistic exuberance, what really impresses here is craftsmanship. The melange of artistic skills used to ornament everything from walls to winding staircases is incredibly diverse, and includes hand-beaten copper work, Benjarong inlays, intricate stucco by Petchaburi craftsmen, tin embossed tableaus, and mural paintings.