Wat Kalayanamitr stands on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya south of Wat Arun, distinguished by an enormous bronze Buddha image — one of the largest seated Buddha figures in Bangkok — visible from the river. The temple was founded in 1825 by a Chinese merchant and the influence shows in the decorative elements: a large Chinese pagoda (Phra Chedi Yen) stands in the grounds alongside the more conventional Thai temple buildings.
The surrounding neighbourhood is the Kudi Chin quarter, home to the oldest Portuguese-Thai community in Bangkok, descendants of traders who settled here in the 18th century. The contrast between the temple, the church, and the mixed Thai-Portuguese-Chinese community architecture around it makes this corner of Thonburi particularly interesting for exploring on foot or by boat.