Giant Swing

Iconic Brahmanist monument from 1784 — the red teak posts of the Giant Swing are a landmark photo spot in Bangkok's historic old town.

Sao Ching Cha — the Giant Swing — is one of Bangkok's most recognisable landmarks, standing since 1784 in front of the Brahmin Devasathan temple in the historic Phra Nakhon old town district. The vivid red teak posts supporting a large crossbeam rise over 21 metres and were once the setting for a daring religious ritual: during the Triyampawai festival, men swung to dizzying heights to snatch silver pouches from a bamboo pole — a spectacle banned in 1935 after too many accidents. Today the swing stands as a quiet monument to this ancient Brahmanist tradition and is a popular photo stop in the heart of the old city.