Founded in 1878, it is remarkable among Thai Buddhist temples in that its architecture mimics that of a European church, being built in the Gothic Revival style.

The construction of Wat Niwet Thammaprawat was commissioned by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1876, to serve as the royal temple for the newly expanded Bang Pa-In Palace.

The temple was designed by Joachim Grassi, one of the first Italian architects employed under the king's government.

Many public buildings were built in the Western style during Chulalongkorn's reign, a trend reflecting the modernisation of Siam (as Thailand was then known) at the time.

Its appearance resembles that of a Christian church, with the temple's main Buddha image in place of a Cross.