Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew, translated as the Wilderness Temple of the Great Glass Pagoda, is a great addition to your Thailand itinerary. Thailand is not only about beaches and markets, the offbeat side of Thailand has so many gems that you should not miss out on. One such gem is the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew, commonly known as the Temple of a Million Bottles.
This Buddhist temple is a beautiful one but with a twist. The temple is made of over 1.5 million empty beer bottles.
Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew is located in the Khun Han district of Sisaket province in Thailand. It’s said that Buddhist monks started collecting these empty bottles back in 1984. The construction started with the main temple and later, after several projects, the temple complex was expanded and more glass bottles were put to use. This remarkable temple is not only a place of worship but also a stunning testament to recycling, sustainability, and human creativity.
Make no mistake, the temple is not completely built using glass bottles. Concrete and other building materials were also used, but beer bottles were also one of the main construction materials. Hence the name. The bottle caps were used to create interesting mosaics.
While visiting the temple complex, visitors can easily see how the bottles were incorporated into the design of the temple. The bottles were cleverly arranged and embedded in concrete to form the walls and pillars of the temple. Not only did this innovative approach reduce waste, but it also gave the temple a surreal, otherworldly appearance, especially when sunlight filters through the colourful bottles. It creates a mesmerising and ethereal effect that is truly breathtaking.
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Collecting over 1.5 million bottles is not a small task. That’s why, after the initial collection process, the monks received help from the local government and even visiting tourists. Talk about voluntourism!
Today, the temple is a popular attraction among those travellers who lean more towards promoting and practising sustainable and responsible travel. This idea of recycling and preserving the environment is indeed quite interesting.
At present, given the easy availability of beer bottles, there is no dearth of this particular construction material. It’s interesting to note that other facilities inside the temple complex like prayer rooms, public bathrooms, water tower and even a crematorium are made of glass bottles.
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As per reports, many volunteers from nearby villages also joined the monks in collecting and cleaning the bottles, as well as assisting with the construction.
- Why is Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew in Thailand unique?
Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew, translated as the Wilderness Temple of the Great Glass Pagoda, is made of over 1.5 million empty beer bottles. - Where is the Temple of a Million Bottles located?
Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew or the Temple of Million Bottles is located in the Khun Han district of Sisaket province in Thailand. - Is Temple of a Million Bottles a popular tourist attraction?
The temple is a popular attraction among those travellers who lean more towards promoting and practising sustainable and responsible travel.
