Thailand: Pattaya – Sanctuary of Truth
Seriously disappointed with the floating market, I had low expectation for the Pattaya’s Sanctuary of Truth. And it turned out to be totally “wow”! The sanctuary is a temple and it’s a new construction that began in 1991 and is supposed to be finished by 2050 – so in a way, it’s basically the Thai version of Sagrada Familia. The temple is made completely out of wood and is just loaded with wooden sculptures depicting the medieval Hindu-Buddhist religious themes similar to those on display in Ayutthaya. According to the builders’ vision, the purpose of the Sanctuary of Truth temple is “a reflection of the Ancient Vision of Earth, Ancient Knowledge, and Eastern Philosophy to understand Ancient Life, Human Responsibility, Basic Thought, Cycle of living, Life Relationship with Universe and Common Goal of Life toward Utopia”. I probably didn’t get any of that, but nevertheless the lavish wooden art and decorations were super impressive, often awe-inspiring, and often bordering on kitsch. Also, the amount of mega-busty goddesses here is probably unlike in any other temple in the world.
