Other structures at the Wat Arun grounds
Although the Wat Arun is known for its impressive prang there are other buildings that are worth investigating.
The ubosot or main prayer room holds the principal Buddha image of the Wat Arun. The image was designed by King Rama II himself, who was very interested in poetry and art, and who ruled from 1809 until 1824. The base of the image in subduing Mara mudra contains the ashes of the King. The walls contain beautiful murals created during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).
Around the central prang are four mondops or pavilions enshrining Buddha images representing four important occurrences in the life of the Buddha, namely birth, first sermon in Sarnath to five monks, enlightenment and passing into final nirvana.
The cloister of the temple complex contains more than 100 Buddha images. A mondop houses a copy of the Buddha’s footprint. A number of very large guardian statues in the Wat Arun are very similar to those in the Grand Palace. On the river side you will find a number of salas (open air pavilions).