The Grand Palace in Bangkok has another name that is difficult to pronounce for a European-Phrabarommaharadchawang-and it is a central place for tourists to visit in Thailand. It can be said that a mandatory part of the tour to the capital, as in any tourist mecca that exists on every continent. All visitors to the palace have the most vivid impressions of the picturesque place. Literally everything is interesting here – history, architecture, objects endowed with sacred meaning, as well as a harmonious combination of various cultural elements on the common palace territory.
Despite the abundance of tourist groups, the Royal Palace in Bangkok is hospitably open for exploring in the daytime and evening. After sunset, the palace looks very peculiar in the illumination rays, so it is recommended to find an opportunity to admire this evening spectacle.
History of the Palace
The Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok was originally conceived and created as a tourist attraction. Its history dates back to the end of the 18th century (1782). Then the ruler of the country decided to equip the capital in Bangkok, for which it was necessary to build the residence of the king and at the same time organize the location of the government. For almost three and a half centuries of the palace’s existence, the architectural complex has undergone numerous reconstructions, modifications and modernization.
Each owner of the monarch’s apartments brought certain innovations to the object, sought to improve, modernize, and also preserve the grandeur. The complex served as the residence of the kings until the middle of the last century, when the next royal family decided to move. Currently, the Grand Royal Palace in Thailand is not used for housing, although it is periodically used for special receptions and state celebrations.
The first buildings of the palace were made of wood, which were later replaced with stone ones. On the territory of the modern palace, which occupies almost 220 thousand square meters, there are several dozen objects-various buildings and structures, halls and temples, sculptures and museums, galleries and other structures for various purposes.
What to see on the territory of the palace
Photos of the royal palace in Bangkok convey some aspects of the beauty presented on the territory, but they will never be able to cover the entire scale of objects. The entire palace complex has a rectangular shape and is surrounded by a wall with a total length of almost 2 km. When exploring the buildings of the grand Palace, you should be guided by the location of attractions and their accessibility to visit.
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
This building is located on the territory of the Grand Palace of Bangkok. The main element of the temple is a 66-cm statue of the Buddha in a meditative pose, carved from a solid green jadeite stone. This figure is considered the most important Buddha statue in the entire Kingdom of Thailand.
The temple is the most memorable part of the Royal Palace, which is worth paying special attention to. Painted walls, images of lotus flowers, scenes from royal life, gold jewelry, ornaments, carvings, unique details, skillfully finished by craftsmen-all this makes an indelible impression. In particular, the main elements of the temple complex:
- Royal Library
- Royal Pantheon
- Chapel of the Emerald Buddha
- The Golden Stupa
- Golden Half-Bird-Kinnari Half-man
- The Guards
- Stone Guards
- Yaksha that consumes greedy people and protects the jewels of the gods
- Garuda and Naga mythical creatures that adorn the temple walls
- Cemetery of Kings
- The actual Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew).
Phra Maha Montien Building Group
This is about a dozen pretentious, but at the same time harmonious and very beautiful buildings that served as the residence of the ruler until 1946. For example, the luxurious reception hall for special guests, as well as the throne room, pavilions for preparing monarchs for the ceremony, the place where monks bless royal food and much more are worthy of visitors ‘ attention.
Also held in this part of the Royal Palace are celebrations of special occasions, such as the King’s birthday and some public holidays and events.
Chakri Maha Pasat Hall
A building with its own bright personality does not need a special search, it itself stands out for its unique architecture and attracts the eye. The exterior of the building resembles European architectural solutions, and only the roof in a purely Asian style gives out its cultural affiliation.
Such an interesting combination in the development is associated with royal family disagreements during construction. The king conceived a European palace for the reception of guests, and his family insisted on the Thai character of the structure. This is how the “European in a Thai hat”was created. A guard of honor is displayed at the porch and steps, accessible for photos, and the ceremony of its change, if you are lucky, can also be seen. There is also an exhibition of weapons belonging to the monarchs.
Dusit Maha Prasat Hall
Here is the royal throne – the first to appear on the territory of the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok. Such halls are used for state audiences, and the throne is an object endowed with a special meaning and significance, richly inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with carvings.
In addition to the mentioned attractions, among the palace buildings, it is suggested to look at museums: weapons, coins (mint), the Emerald Buddha, textiles, etc. The walk usually turns into a multi-hour guided tour, although not all the residential and government buildings presented are accessible to explore the interiors.
How to get to the Palace of the Kings in Bangkok
The Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok occupies two hundred thousand square meters on the riverbank, in the old city district, in the center of the capital. When deciding how to get to the royal Palace in Bangkok, you will have to choose one of the types of land or river transport. The road will take longer, but it will also allow you to get acquainted with the surroundings of the palace and the surrounding urban development at the same time.
- Sky Train (BTS). BTS Saphan Taksin Station, exit 2. Then take a walk to the Chao Phraya River. Under the bridge is Sathorn Pier. Chao Phraya express boat, orange flag. Take a boat at Ta Chang (N9). The Royal Palace will be on the right.
- By metro. Sanam Chai Metro Station, exit 1. Then take Bus No. 3, 9, 44, 47, 53 and 82.
- By boat. This is one of the most popular ways to get to the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Take the express boat to Ta Tien (N8) along the Chao Phraya River. After exiting the pier, walk past the food stalls until you reach a large intersection. Ahead (slightly to the right) is the Grand Palace. Turn right and walk for about 10 minutes until you reach Wat Pho Temple, which will be on the other side of the road. Otherwise, take a tuk-tuk, but you may have to pay extra for such a short distance.
- By bus. Buses go directly to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. The number of buses that pass through the palace and the nearest temple is Wat Phra Kaew. 1, 3, 9, 15, 25, 30, 32, 33, 43, 44, 47, 53, 59, 64, 80, 82, 91, 203, 503, 508, 512.
- Knock, knock. Unless you’re used to haggling, a tuk-tuk ride can cost you more than a taxi ride. We recommend that you agree on the price in advance, making sure to bargain.
In any case, you can always ask in advance at the reception of your hotel in Bangkok, what is the best way to get to the palace and what price it will cost.
Practical information:
- Адрес: Thanon Na Phra Lan, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok
- Opening hours: 8: 30-15: 30, visitors are allowed in and tickets are not sold until one hour before closing time.
- Ticket price: 500 baht, audio guide in different languages-200 baht.
- Official website: www.royalgrandpalace.th.
- Dress code: shortened trousers and dresses, as well as T-shirts, tops, etc. are prohibited near the walls of the palace museum in Thailand. If you do not take care of a palace-worthy appearance in advance, you can rent covered clothing at the entrance to the complex. It is free of charge, only you need to leave a deposit of 200 baht. But this option, according to reviews, is not the best. Tourists always want to take a photo at the royal palace, everyone will want to leave the most pleasant impressions about this visit and look beautiful at the same time.
Useful tips
So that some features of the palace tour do not bring surprises, it is better to listen to the useful advice of tourists who have visited.
- To visit the palace, it is advisable to arrive in advance, as the number of tourist groups is simply incredible, and in the case of issuing covering clothes, the waiting time in the heat increases.
- A separate fee is charged for visiting temples on the territory of the complex, which can greatly increase the cost of a general tour, but external sightseeing is quite informative and rich in impressions.
- The palace complex is open from 8: 30, so you can drive up to it in the morning, without listening to the owners of tuk-tuks, who can cheat in their own interests and offer to ride around the neighborhood until the palace opens by three o’clock in the afternoon – this is not true.
- The most complete impression of visiting the palace can be made if you use the audio guide, which will help to weave together the architectural and historical features of the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok.
The Grand Palace in Bangkok is a huge museum that contains historical layers rich in Thai culture. To get acquainted with the main value of the Thai state means to join the richness of the country’s cultural heritage. The palace complex adequately preserves its relics and continues to serve the royal dynasties of Thailand.