The Grand Palace is the royal palace of the Thai royal family. Next to the Chao Phraya River, it is a large-scale ancient building complex of 28 buildings in the center of Bangkok, with a total area of 218,400 square meters. The Grand Palace was built in 1782. After continuous renovation and expansion of the Kings, it was finally built into the grand palace complex that is now large in scale. It is still magnificent today.
In the courtyard of the palace, the first thing that catches your eyes is the large grassy fields and ancient trees with different postures. There are some linden trees and other tropical trees around the lawn. The stupa-like spires of the Grand Palace are inserted into the clouds and the fish-shaped glass tiles are brilliant under the sunlight. Entering the second gate, you will see a majestic and magnificent three-story building display in front of you. This is the largest main hall in the Grand Palace: the Hakri Maha Prasad. It was built by King Rama V in 1876.
The characteristic of Hakri Maha Prasad is that its basic structure belongs to British Victorian architectural art, and the three-square spires on the top are Thai-style roofs. To the west of Hakri Maha Prasad is Dusit Maha Prasad. This is the first palace built in the Grand Palace, and it is a traditional Thai building. At present, Dusit Maha Prasad is mainly used as a place where royal figures such as kings, queens, and queen mothers hold funerals. To the east of Hakri Maha Prasad is the Amarin Winitchai Hall, where the court's ceremonial ceremony is usually held; the coronation of the king is held here, and there are chairs for the coronation; it also becomes the official residence of the monarchs after their coronation.
The Grand Palace is surrounded by tall white palace walls, with forts, palace gates and palaces. Looking from east to west, you can see a green tile roof, a fuchsia glazed tile roof, and a crested cornice. The roof is the typical Thai "three-roof structure", which is a collection of centuries of Thai architectural art. Some people call this the "Thai Art Encyclopedia".
The Wat Phra Kaew is located in the northeast corner of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, where all the royal families held important ceremonies. Wat Phra Kaew is the most noble representative of all temples in Thailand. The Jade Buddha Hall dedicated to the Jade Buddha has a total of 40 four-corner columns, and 112 golden statues of bird-shaped bodies are decorated under the gallery. The temple is very quiet, full of the smell of incense. The Jade Buddha is carved from a piece of jadeite, protected by a glass cover, with a multi-layer canopy, and the base is quite high. When visiting the Wat Phra Kaew, most Thais will pay tribute to the Jade Buddha and then bow down to the Buddha. After worshipping, you can sit in front of the Buddha to pray or meditate according to your wishes.
Tips:
Opening hours: 8:30-16:30 (tickets stope for sale at 15:20)
Admission: 500 baht/person, including entrance ticket to the Royal Palace Decoration Museum and Wat Phra Kaew (valid on that day), Teak Palace outside the palace, and Ananda Samakorn Royal Palace (valid within 7 days).
Dress code: clothes with sleeves, pants (skirts) over the knee. Pay special attention that neither ripped denim pants nor tights will work. You need to take off your shoes when entering every hall in the Grand Palace.