Grand Palace

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Chakri Mahaprasad Hall

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The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol in the Grand Palace, King Bhumibol moved the official royal residence to Chitralada Palace. Construction of the palace complex began in 1782, during the reign of Rama I.

The palace complex sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The other approaches to the palace are protected by a defensive wall of 1,900 metres in length, which encloses an area of 218,400 square metres. Further out from the wall is a canal, which was also created for defensive purposes, making the area surrounding the palace an island, known as Rattanakosin.

Prominent parts of the Grand Palace:

Wat Phra Kaew, the temple containing the Emerald Buddha
Chakri Mahaprasad Hall, a building in a style influenced by the Italian Renaissance

Chakri Mahaprasad Hall	Prasat Phra Debidorn	Phra Sri Ratana chedi	A mythological giant (yak)
One set of the 8 Double Sema Stones (Bai Sema)	Kinnorn - mythological creature, half bird, half man	Buddhist monks in the Grand Palace

[edit] Media

Video tour of Grand Palace, Thailand

Short video showing highlights of the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, from here.
Problems seeing the videos? See media help.

[edit] Further reading

Naengnoi Suksri, The Grand Palace, Bangkok. River Books, Bangkok 1999, ISBN 0-500-97479-9
K.I. Matics: A History of Wat Phra Chetupon and its Buddha Images. The Siam Society, Bangkok 1979 (w/o ISBN)