Lopburi's Monkey Temple

The Monkey Temple

If you visit the old town, you cannot fail to spot this massive stone Temple of Three Prangs (towers) - Phra Prang Sam Yot, the most famous landmark in Lopburi. It is also the official symbol of the Province but is most widely known for its large troops of macaque inhabitants, hence the name – The Monkey Temple.

Monkey Business

About the monkeys... they will be keen to climb over you, and anything they can easily take off you will be seen as fair game by them. That includes your sunglasses! Do not have any food on you unless you intend to give it to them. They can be a bit cranky in the morning when they are hungry, so best to go in the afternoon when they have been fed. You will need to get a shower straight after visiting here. With those things in mind, you should be able to have a fun time with some new furry friends. The last weekend of November Lopburi holds a monkey festival, where tables are laden with fruit for the monkeys to devour. A big party for everybody involved.

History

The temple was built in the 13th Century as a Hindu shrine. If you are lucky you might get chance to notice the three laterite (reddish clay soil) sandstone spires, each decorated with stucco and linked by corridors representing the trinity: Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer). It was later converted into a Buddhist temple by King Narai of Ayutthaya, as is evidenced by the remains of many Buddha images found on the site. Entry: 50B Open: 6:00am - 6:00pm (Wednesdays - Sundays) Address: Vichayen Road, Lopburi