Kingdom of smiles Thailand attracts tourists from all over the world not only with its white sandy beaches and warm sea. In this country of Southeast Asia there are countless interesting cultural and historical sights. These are numerous Hindu and Buddhist temples, the Royal Grand Palace (Bangkok), Krabi, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Phuket, Phi Phi and much more. But in this article we will focus on only one attraction of the Thai capital. Not to see the royal residence complex is like not going to Bangkok. All guides to the capital of Thailand point to it as "mast si number 1". Moreover, this palace is not quite a museum. This is one of the residences of the ruling monarch. It is unlikely that in the UK you will be allowed to go home to Queen Elizabeth. Let us make a virtual visit to His Majesty Rama IX (Phumipon Adulyadej).
History
The construction of the palace began in the period when the first ruler of the new dynasty, Rama I (Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke) decided to move the capital of Siam from the city of Thonburi (west of the country) to Bangkok. On the eastern bank of the Chauphrai River, he laid the first stone of the royal residence. This happened on the sixth of May 1782. The plan of the palace repeated the scheme of the old residence of the ancient kings in Ayutthaya. At first it was a complex of wooden buildings, which were surrounded on four sides by a defensive wall with a length of 1900 m. But soon the residence of the kings began to expand. The same Rama I ordered the construction of the palace temple, which is now called the "Emerald Buddha." In 1785, the ceremony of the coronation of the monarch was held in the palace. This complex housed not only the ruler’s chambers, but also a court, a library, and other administrative buildings.
Palace as a seat of the throne
All the kings of the Chakri dynasty before Rama V used the Grand Palace (Bangkok) as their main residence. His sons, having become rulers of Siam, built other palaces, but used them only as private chambers. The status of the main official residence of Rama VI and VII was retained by the palace. All ceremonies were held here, and audience and embassy delegations were received. In 1945, Rama VIII settled in the Grand Palace. But a year later he was killed under mysterious circumstances. His relative, who came from the United States of America, Phumipon Adulyadej, who became the fate of Rama the Ninth, settled with his family in the palace of Chitralada. But the indicated attraction of Bangkok has not lost its royal luster. In this royal residence all official ceremonies are held: weddings, state receptions, funerals.
Grand Palace (Bangkok): how to get there
As already indicated, this complex of royal chambers is located near Chaopraya. Opposite it, on the opposite bank, stands the famous temple of Bangkok - Wat Arun ("Morning Dawn"). The royal palace is surrounded by a perimeter rectangular wall. The western part of the complex faces the river, and the castle itself is located in the east. The area is close to Khaosan Road budget hostels and Chinatown. From there, the palace museum can be reached on foot. From the more remote parts of Bangkok, the Grand Palace can be reached by taxi for 200 baht; on a passenger boat for 15 baht (the pier is called Big Palace), on the overground subway for 25 baht (Saphan Taksin station); on a city bus for 6 baht. The main thing is to find not the Grand Palace, but the entrance to it. It takes a long walk along the wall.
Practical information for tourists
Like all museums in Bangkok, the Grand Palace has its own opening hours. The period when you can see this attraction of the Thai capital is small. They begin to let in at half past eight in the morning. The cash desk closes at 15.30. And tourists begin to ask to leave at half past four. All reviews from tourists strongly recommend that you arrive at the box office at the opening. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the hot Thai sun. The complex has very few trees and, accordingly, shade. Take an umbrella with you so you don't get a sunstroke. Secondly - numerous excursions. Buses with groups start approaching at ten, so that the early birds manage to inspect everything without a hustle and bustle. Taxi drivers and tuk-tuk drivers will be waiting for you at the entrance. They will say that the museum is not working today, and invite you to go explore other attractions. This is fake information. The Grand Palace (Bangkok) is open seven days a week.
Dress code
Do not forget that this is not a simple museum, but the residence of the monarch himself. Therefore, going to visit him, tourists should be dressed appropriately. This is also reported by the sign at the checkout. No neckline, open shoulders, miniskirts, shorts, tight-fitting dresses. Shoes should cover the toe and heel. Given the heat in Thailand, few tourists match this dress code. Therefore, next to the checkout you will see the second turn. People stand behind shawls and sarongs, which can be rented on bail of two hundred baht. Although this is a free service, you will lose time in the queue. Therefore, it is better to dress appropriately (long pants or a skirt, a blouse covering the shoulders, sandals with a closed toe). Before entering the Grand Palace (Bangkok), Thais are on duty, trying to sell shawls and skirts to tourists. Buy if you really liked the thing. But in Bangkok markets such clothes are many times cheaper. Dress code on site is very strict. Tourists who wish to take off their cloaks are welcomed by ministers. They also make sure everyone takes off their shoes at the entrance to the temple.
The territory of the royal residence
By the way, about a ticket to the palace museum. Do not rush to throw it away, having sightseeing. He gives you the right to visit another royal residence - Wimanmek, which is located in the Dusit area of Bangkok, for a week. So, having paid five hundred and fifty baht per ticket, we go through the turnstile to the Grand Palace. Bangkok is justifiably proud of this attraction. The area of the royal residence is more than two hundred thousand square meters. On a vast territory there are temples, sacred stupas, gardens, government buildings, corridors and galleries. In order not to get lost and not to miss anything, it is better to photograph the plan of the Grand Palace. It is located right behind the entrance. And one more thing: there are no cafes and snack bars in the residence. Therefore, you need to bring along the right amount of drinking water and sandwiches. At the checkout you can take an audio guide for 250 baht or a free guide (booklet) on visiting the palace. Inside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, photographing is not permitted. But you can take a picture with the guards from the guard of honor. They look quite exotic - in white uniforms and cork helmets.
What you need to see in the Grand Palace
It’s best to plan a full day for the tour (before the museum closes). However, taking into account that tourists travel to Thailand on a beach holiday and regard Bangkok as a stopover, consider a short visit for a couple of hours. What is the most famous residence of the kings of Siam? The most famous and bizarre building is the Chakri Maha Prasat. This is the residence of King Rama V. It was built in 1882 when Thailand was greatly influenced by Great Britain. The building is a bizarre mix of Victorian style and Thai architectural traditions.
Drawings and sculptures
Once in the Grand Royal Palace, you must definitely see the mural depicting scenes from Ramayana - the famous ancient Indian epic. To do this, you need to get into the courtyard of the royal residence. Throughout the complex you can see many figures of lions, guards, mythical animals. Do not miss the copy of the Cambodian temple of Ankhor Wat, made very accurately, with the smallest details. One of the walls of the gallery in the palace is painted with scenes from the life of the founder of the royal ruling dynasty, Rama the First.
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Wat Phraeu is one of the most important shrines of not only the Grand Palace, but of the whole of Thailand. This is the name of the temple built by Rama the First, because inside it is a Buddha statue sixty-six centimeters high, made of a single piece of jadeite (emerald). As studies have shown, the sculpture was carved in the XV century. According to legend, it was previously hidden inside a clay statue of Buddha. The sculpture was found in Chiang Rai in 1431. Later, she was taken to Bangkok on the orders of Rama the First, who built a decent residence for the shrine. Three times a year, the King of Thailand, together with the temple attendants, change their robes on the statue. Wat Phraeuu is surrounded on all sides by gilded figures of garud (half-humans, half-birds), naga (mystical snakes), and guards. Inside the temple is the tomb of all eight kings of the dynasty with their full-size statues.