Wat Ko Kaew Suthatham in Petchaburi is truly a hidden gem. Built during the reign of King Borommakot in 1734, the Wat Ko Kaew Suttharam temple, more commonly known as Wat Ko, has a relatively simple architecture. Its main attraction is the mural paintings in the historic ubosot. These murals date back around 300 years and are probably the best preserved murals remaining from the Ayutthaya period. If in Phetchaburi they should be on your list of things to see.
On the north wall are represented the "Seven Great Places" where the Buddha stayed for seven weeks after his enlightenment except for the scene "under the Bodhi tree," which is the first of the seven places.
On the south wall are represented the "Eight Great Events" of Buddha's life, beginning with his birth. There are also paintings of the first Westerners who came to the Kingdom of Siam.
Phetchaburi is an underrated destination in terms of temple architecture. Considering its proximity to Bangkok, you'd expect it to be crawling with...
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine 國民革命忠烈祠 is a shrine in Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan, dedicated to the war dead of the Republic of China.
Built on Chingshan Mountain and overseeing the Keelung River in Taipei's Zhongshan District in 1969, the Martyrs' Shrine recalls the architecture of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in Beijing's Forbidden City. The structure houses the spirit tablets of about 390,000 persons killed, among other engagements, during the Xinhai Revolution, Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War, and the First and Second Taiwan Strait Crises.
A changing of the honor guard from the various branches of the Republic of China Military, similar to the rituals at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, take place at the shrine every hour from 9:00-5:00 pm.
Although the Martyrs' Shrine is located in Taiwan, most of the soldiers were born in mainland China. Taiwan was ruled by Japan throughout World War II, ...
Baoan Temple 保安宮
Baoan Temple is dedicated to Baosheng Emperor (保生大帝). There’s a story about him curing a dragon’s injured eye and moving the stick away from a tiger’s throat, making Baosheng Emperor the god of medicine.
The early Chinese immigrants brought him from Fujian in the 16th century. When they first moved to Taipei, they suffered from the plague here. The whole purpose of building the temple and worshipping Baoan Emperor was to stop the plague.
Baoan Temple started as a small wooden shrine in 1742 and later expanded to the size it is now. In 1995, the temple was under renovation. The construction managed to repair its exterior and preserve its artworks including dragon columns and the fragmented ceramic at the same time. As a result, Baoan Temple was given the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Culture Heritage Conservation.
Getting there is easy. Take the MRT Red Line to Yuanshan Station then take exit #2. From there it’s a short 5-10 minute walk to the ...
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 國立中正紀念堂
The most prominent historical landmark in Taiwan, the CKS Memorial Hall was erected in honor and memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, the former President of the Republic of China, and was opened in 1980 as part of a national park and gathering area.
The name of the square is officially Liberty Square (自由廣場), as seen above the front gate, however the name change was politically motivated and most people in practice still refer to the entire complex as Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
The changing of the guards is a popular thing to see when you visit here.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 國立中正紀念堂 - Changing of the Guards - Full Video - Taipei Taiwan 2026
