She was a queen who died young, leaving behind two temples - Wat Ratchanaddaram and Wat Sommanus - built in Bangkok in her honour and her memory. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Wat Sommanus' completion, an event to be celebrated with fanfare on December 29.

Mom Chao Ying Sommanus Wattanavadi was the darling niece of King Nangklao - Rama III. He took her into his care and brought her to the Grand Palace after the untimely death of her father, Prince Lakkhananukul.

King Nangklao was a true shaper of Bangkok. During his reign he commissioned the building or renovation of 73 temples, including Wat Phra Keow, Wat Po and Wat Arun.

He also built three temples for the three women he loved most: Wat Chalermphrakiat in Nonthaburi for his mother, Wat Thepthidaram for his daughter, Princess Vilas, and, in 1846, Wat Ratchanaddaram for his niece, Princess Sommanus.

The name of this last sanctuary actually means Temple of the Royal Niece. It's at the intersection of Ratchadamnoen Klang and Mahachak roads.

As soon as you cross the Phan Fa Bridge from Lanluang Road, you enter Old Bangkok. A statue of King Nangklao is on your left, presiding over Bangkok as if he holds the golden key to his City of Angels.

Behind the statue is Wat Ratchanaddaram and the famous Lohaprasada Pagoda, a replica of its namesake in India, 36 metres high and featuring 37 metal spires, one for each virtue of the enlightened.

Adjacent to Wat Ratchanaddaram is Wat Thepthidaram.

When King Mongkut ascended the throne he took Princess Sommanus as his wife in order to reinforce the Chakri bloodline.

In 1851, at the age of 18, Queen Sommanus gave birth to a prince, but tragically, the boy lived for only a few hours. The Queen became seriously ill herself, and not long afterward she too passed away.

If the prince had lived, he would have become King Rama V.

King Mongkut later married Princess Rampoey, another niece of Rama III, who gave birth to Prince Chulalongkorn, later to become King Rama V.

King Mongkut commissioned the construction of Wat Sommanus in memory of his first queen, choosing a site far from the Grand Palace so that it could be used as a meditation retreat. The area around it was indeed once very quiet.

During his 27 years in the monkhood, Mongkut, then still a prince, had founded the Dhammayuti sect, which differed from the mainstream Mahanikaya sect in its approach to Buddhist doctrine.

You can visit Wat Sommanus from Nakhonsawan Road. King Mongkut had canals, including Khlong Phadungkasem, excavated around the temple, enabling access by the still largely waterborne citizenry.

Canals had gained favour in the capital when the Golden Mount - Chedi Phukhaothong - was being built.

King Rama III commissioned the construction of the landmark Golden Mount, modelled after the chedi of the same name in Ayutthaya. But there was concern that any Burmese invaders could mount their cannon atop the hill.

The King assuaged such fears by surrounding the capital with canals, and Khlong Phadungkasem was part of that project.

Along the perimeter canals were five fortresses, only one of which has survived - Pom Prapsatruephai, right in front of the Rama III statue.

Wat Sommanas was about a kilometre from the city limit during King Mongkut's time. As a monk he stayed at Wat Samorai on Samsen Road, now Wat Rajathiwat. Wat Sommanas became part of this tradition.

Construction - undertaken by the king's own expense - was completed in 1856, three years after it began.

The temple is well known for its main Buddha statue, which foreigners have dubbed "the Lucky Buddha". If you want a wish granted, it's said, this is the place to come.

The temple also has beautiful murals, as well as excellent training in meditation.

Legend has it that Queen Sommanas, a lady of exceptional beauty, appears at the temple from time to time. Her presence is certainly felt by any visitor, though. A stroll through Wat Sommanas is like stepping into the past, when the City of Angels was gentler and kinder.

Thanong Khanthong

The Nation