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Wat Phra Kaeo officially called Wat Phra Si Rattanasatsadaram or known generally among foreigners as The temple of the Emerald Buddha, adjoining the Grand Palace on the same ground, was complete and consecrated in 1784, two years after King Rama 1 had ascended the throne. The 945,000 square-metre compound encompasses over 100 buildings that represent 200 years of royal history and architectural experimentation. Most of the architecture is of Bangkok or Rattanakosin style.

Wat phra Kaeo is regarded as the most significant of all Thai temples, and the small green-jade statue of the Buddha, high on its golden altar in the Chapel Royal, is the most sacred Buddha image in Thailand. When the statue was first found in 1434, it was covered in stucco. Years later, the stucco started to crumble away and several miracles occurred, giving the Buddha a reputation for bringing good fortune. Today, thousands of worshippers pay their respects in front of the statue. The late Ayutthaya-style murals on the surrounding walls depict the lives of Buddha, and the superb door panels with mother-of-pearl inlay illustrate scen form the Ramakian, the Thai version of the Indian Ramayana. The golden outer walls and gilded angles reflect the sun, while bells along the roof-line give voice to the wind. On the upper terrace, next to the Chapel Royal, are three other very sacred building: the Royal Pantheon, surrounded by gilded male and female Kinnaree, half-human-half bird figures, which holds the Tripitaka, the sacred Buddhist scriptures; and< the impressive golden Phra Si Rattana Chedi which houses ashes of Buddha. The nearby model of Cambodia's Angkor Wat is a reminder that Cambodia was once under Thai rule. The whole ground is enclosed by galleries decorated with superb murals depictign the Ramakian.