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Established in 1782, this magnificent complex was the first of two palaces our group visited on our trip to Thailand. Comprised of 34 different structures, this location depicted all aspects of Thai culture. Housing the royal family, government offices, and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, I have never seen such a unique collection of architecture. The palace is surrounded by four walls, covering an area of 218,000 square meters.

King Rama I held the throne for 28 years, and decided to move the capital across the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok. This king was very influential, and demanded a new palace be built as a royal compound to act as his residence and the site of administrative offices. The complex is split into various groups of structures, each is unique in design and purpose.

The above picture depicts the upper terrace, home to four monuments. The most noticeable is the golden chedi, which is actually a reliquary. Originally I did not know what that term meant, but after a quick google search I came to the conclusion that this building may contain physical remains of past rulers, clothing, and objects associated with religious figures. The other structures are the Phra Mondop (inscribed with Buddhist sacred scriptures), a miniature Angkor Wat (constructed by Rama IV), and the Royal Pantheon (holds statues of rulers in the Chakri dynasty).

I could go on and write an essay about this location, but I will save you guys some time and skip to the Chakri Maha Prasat Hall. This amazing building looked similar to a Victorian mansion, draped with gold roofs and siding. Completed in 1882, the Central Throne Hall serves as the reception for foreign ambassadors as well as state banquets. Various diplomats are painted on canvasses, including Queen Victoria and Louis XIV.

The last structure I will touch upon is the Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha. This is one of the most holy sites in Thailand, people congregate to pay respect to the Lord Buddha and his teachings. There is no photography allowed in this temple, but the information provided to me helped shed light upon the history. Sitting on top of a golden traditional Thai-style throne, the Buddha is dressed with one of the three seasonal costumes (summer, rainy season, and winter). Titled as the Emerald Buddha, it was actually carved from a block of green jade, discovered in 1434. At the time of discovery, the piece was covered with plaster, however the abbot who found the image noticed that the white plaster on the nose had chipped off. Below a green stone appeared, and was thought to be an emerald, thus the title.

Enjoy the pictures, I will attempt to label each.

Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha

Upper Terrace

Royal Pantheon

Chakri Mahaprasat Hall

Royal Pantheon

Mythological Kinnon Creature

Buddhist Repository

Phra Si Rattana Chedi

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