Thailand is a welcoming and indescribably beautiful country that attracts more and more tourists each year. It’s no wonder why, as the country is ready to amaze with not only its multitude of luxurious landscapes, the warmth of the sea waters on its stunning coastlines, but also with fascinating attractions that allow tourists to fully immerse themselves in Eastern culture, discovering all the secrets and delights of a tropical paradise.
The country is known for its historical attractions, offering a variety of museums, palaces, and incredible sculptures that cater to every taste. Everyone can find something special, a place they will eagerly want to visit and explore.
One of the most popular and unique attractions in Thailand is the Temple of a Million Bottles. Its history is relatively short, but despite its young age, it has already achieved incredible popularity. The temple was opened in 2008 and is unique due to the material from which it was built—beer bottles. Now, the number of bottles has grown to well over a million, and it is interesting to note that bottles are brought by both tourists and locals.
Back in 1984, monks, without any clear goals, began collecting bottles to build a complex, and once they reached the desired amount of building material, construction of the temple began. A unique feature of the temple is that not all bottles are suitable for its construction, but only green Heineken beer bottles and brown bottles from a local brewery.
To connect the walls, roof, poles, and columns made exclusively with bottles, cement was used, and the bottle caps were arranged into a beautiful mosaic depicting Buddha.
The Temple of a Million Bottles is now more than just a lone temple that interests tourists. It has grown into a large, independent complex that continues to expand. Today, the complex includes more than 20 buildings, among them the temple itself, prayer houses, monks’ huts, and even a crematorium.
Therefore, if you have the opportunity to visit Thailand, don’t forget to bring a couple of bottles to contribute to the construction of the temple complex.
