Wat Pho is basically a Buddhist monastery, even the very first monastery built in the new capital. Before Bangkok was established as the capital by King Rama I a temple existed already on the site. It was originally named Wat Photaram or Podharam, from which the name Wat Pho is derived. Wat Pho was also the very first University of Bangkok.
With its 80.000 Square meter it is the largest monastery of the capital. It holds the larget collection of Buddhas in Thailand, these are lined by hundreds, most seated but some standing, that were collected from all over Thailand during the 1800s. Of course it also houses the famous reclining Buddha, a 46-metre-long and 15-metre-tall Buddha lying in a colossal hall.