The Sanctuary of Truth is a giant wooden castle
Ancient castles in European countries are commonly built from sandstone or limestone. But in Pattaya, there’s a huge castle that was constructed entirely from wood, with intricate hand-hewn carvings that make it looking distinct from other typical castles.
If you’re looking for a deep-dive into the history and culture of Thailand, we’d say you’d have a good time exploring this castle on a day trip. Enter The Sanctuary of Truth – the largest wood-carved castle in Thailand at 20-storeys – and a stunning labour of love that showcases the best of East-Asian beliefs and philosophies.
Can’t wait to see what it looks like? We’ll take you through the hidden photo spots at the castle, what activities to expect and price points below.
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Gigantic wooden castle with intricate carvings
In Pattaya, The Sanctuary of Truth is a locale that you absolutely cannot miss if you’re here on vacation. The castle is located by the beach in Pattaya City, Chon Buri, standing at 100 metres in height AKA around 20-storeys tall. A fun fact is that the establishment has been under construction for 41 years, and technically, it still isn’t finished.
In any case, the sanctuary has been opened as a museum and art gallery for tourists to sightsee at. Thanks to the exquisite and intricate carvings, a large number of visitors make pilgrimages here yearly.
By now, you may be wondering why this massive structure was constructed. The Sanctuary of Truth was built to represent religious teachings, philosophies and as a symbol of primitive Asian cultures. Each sculpture you see will convey a meaning and represent something different.
FYI, you’ll need to dress appropriately to access the sanctuary as it is a religious site. After gawking at the exterior designs, we believe it’s now time to take a peek inside the castle.
Five halls to represent different virtues
Besides its well-designed exterior, as soon as you step through the entrance, you’ll meet with intricate architecture within. While exploring the halls, you may find yourself in a #throwback moment to the period of Rattanakosin.
The castle comprises five halls. Each hall demonstrates various religious teachings and what we must undergo in life, as listed below:
- The Central Hall – Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
- The Western Hall – Four Hindu gods and the creation of Earth
- The Eastern Hall – Family, Dutifulness and Filial Piety
- The Northern Hall – Taoism and Confucianism, Humankind’s development
- The Southern Hall – Sun, Moon, Stars and their impact on life
Regarding the castle’s admission, it’s open daily from 8AM to 6PM with an entrance fee of ฿500 (~USD15) per adult and ฿250 (~USD7) per child below the height of 110 cm. Visitors may enter according to their scheduled visiting hours. We’d advise that you check their schedule first, to pick the right time for yourself.
We dare say that the Sanctuary of Truth is a perfect place for the people who want to delve into a cultural, artistic monument, while snapping a memorable photo or two, to prove that you completed your pilgrimage here.
Apart from sightseeing at the castle, there are plenty activities for those who consider themselves adventurers as well.
Boat tours & ATV rides around the sanctuary
Since boat tours are typically popular with tourists in Siam, vacationers can ride in longboats along the canal at the woods behind the sanctuary for ฿300 (~USD9)/person. One boat can hold up to four people, so you can enjoy the cruise with your friends.
If a boat ride sounds a lil’ less adrenaline packed for your tastes, we bet you won’t say no to this ATV ride. You’ll get to zoom around the dirt roads with your mates from ฿300 (~USD9)/trip.
In truth – pardon the pun – we’ve only highlighted a smidgeon of all the activities available here, so knock yourself out with the other options as well, elephant-rides, horse-rides, and speed-boat cruises included.
All in all, in our opinion, visiting the Sanctuary of Truth as a first-time visitor in Pattaya is really worth it and we hope that you’ll find our short guide useful in planning your trip.
Getting to The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya
Honestly, we think the Sanctuary of Truth is an establishment worth visiting.
As a Pattaya resident, I’d venture to say that it’s quite unlike anything else you’d see in Thailand, and locals have invested a lot of hard work, skills, and time to build it up as one of most famous landmarks in Pattaya to date. If you have a chance to visit Pattaya, we’d suggest you make this one of your must-go pitstops.
To get here, The Sanctuary of Truth is located on Naklua Road, which is 10 kilometres from South Pattaya. Driving here from Pattaya Beach will take about 20 minutes. As the castle is pretty outstanding, we’re sure you won’t miss it.
The Sanctuary of Truth
Address: 206/2 หมู่ที่ 5 ุถนน Pattaya-Naklua, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand
Opening Hours: 8AM – 6PM, Daily
Telephone: +66 3811 0653
Google Maps
Cover images adapted from (Clockwise from Top Left): @gabi.sesta, @sotm_thailand, @sotm_thailand, Sanctuary of Truth museum
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