A tour of the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok

The Royal Palace in Bangkok is considered by the Thais to be a sacred place, the center not only of the capital but of the entire country. This is despite the fact that the royal couple no longer reside there, and the official residence of the monarchs has been moved elsewhere. Part of its territory continues to be occupied by government institutions. In one of the buildings of the palace complex hold a landmark for the country’s official events. Now it is open for tourists. There really is something to see there.

Description

The Great Royal Palace in Bangkok is not a free-standing building, but an entire complex of 218,000 square meters. It is bounded by four walls, the perimeter length of which is two kilometers. In addition to the Grand Palace itself, behind them are temples (e.g. The Temple of the Reclining Buddha), 95 pagodas, art galleries, museums, the pantheon of the royal family…

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Visitors to the complex are greeted and escorted by five-meter tall statues of the demonic creatures, Yakshi, whose duty it is to guard the treasury of the gods. Statues of other mythical creatures, and this is traditional in Southeast Asian culture, decorate literally every meter of the walls and stand at the entrances to the buildings. There are many images of Garuda and Kinari – human birds. And one can enter the main temple only under the watchful gaze of two bronze lions.

Hint! For lovers of cultural attractions in Thailand, we also recommend visiting the King’s Palace in Hua Hin, built in the first half of the 20th century and made entirely of teak wood.

What to see

Tours to the Bangkok Grand Royal Palace include visits to several attractions in this complex:

★★★★★

Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles (Queen Sirikit Museum) – it features samples of textiles from all regions of Asia: Eastern, Southern and Southeastern. In format – the usual European museum. There you can learn the history of Thai costume, learn some of the secrets of silk production, see the closet of the queen, watch the work of artisans on a hand loom. In the store at the entrance you can buy exclusive handmade items.

★★★★

Pavilion Of Regalia is a mint of sorts, showcasing Thai coins from when they were first minted to the present day, as well as the technological process and tools used in it. Commemorative coins in various denominations and sizes are available for purchase at the kiosk at the entrance.

Institute of Coinage

★★★★

Temple of the Emerald Buddha is a part of the Royal Palace in Bangkok that houses Thailand’s symbol, a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha made of jade. Its height is 66 cm. The temple is decorated with frescoes – wall paintings with very precise detailing. Its covered galleries are a great shelter from the sun, so there are always a lot of tourists. We rightfully included it in our list of the most beautiful temples in Thailand!

★★★★

Chakri Maha Prasat Hall (Grand Chakri Palace) is actually the king palace in Bangkok, with his apartments in the west wing and the queens in the east wing. The appearance of the palace is an amazing mix of Italian Renaissance and traditional Thai motifs. It is buried entirely in flowers and greenery. Available for viewing only part of the first floor, which houses a museum of weapons – cold and firearms. Next to the palace is the pavilion of artillery.

★★★★

Prasat Phra Thep Bidon (Shrine of the Heavenly Ancestors), a royal pantheon, is available for viewing at the Grand Palace once a year, on April 6, the founding day of the Chakri dynasty, to which the reigning monarch Phumpion Adulyadej (Rama IX) belongs.

★★★★

Phra Maha Monthien group (Supreme Residence) is a complex of three buildings. In the main hall, receptions are held at the highest level. On Name’s Day, they award Thai citizens who have rendered special services to the ruling dynasty and the state.

★★★★

Phra Thinang Boromphiman is a palace surrounded by a garden. Also available for external viewing only. This is where heads of state and especially revered Buddhist monks are received. The walls of the palace halls are painted with murals and a list of virtues to which a monarch should adhere.

Mode of operation-and-price

The Royal Palace opens to visitors at 8:30 a.m., you can stay at the complex until 4:30 p.m. One hour before closing time the tourists are not admitted. The ticket office is located on the river side. The total price of a visit of 500 baht, for this amount you get a bundle of tickets. They must be presented at the entrance to the various palaces and temples. Another 200 baht for the russified audio guide.

How to get there

The Royal Palace in Bangkok is near the Chao Praya Riverfront (Menam Chao Praya) and Sanam Luang, the capital’s main square, which is a huge oval-shaped green field. Unfortunately, there are no Bangkok subway stations near them. Therefore, the most convenient way to visit the palace complex is to take a river trip to Tha Chang Wharf. Walking up from the river past the market, you will immediately see the white wall behind which is the residence of the monarch. The entrance is from Na Phra Lan Street. The ticket price for the River Tram is 30 baht or less, depending on the distance.

Alternative to river transport are buses of flights 1, 32, 53, 503 and 508. The trip costs from five to 25 baht. To get to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, you can also hire a “tuk-tuk”, explaining to the driver that you must go to the King Palace. If you pay the meter, it will cost 200 or 300 baht.