Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Thai Airways International
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Wat Phra Kaew &
Grand Palace
(Th Na Phra Lan; admission 500B; 8.30am-4pm; Tha Chang)
Also known as the Temple of the
Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew is the colloquial name of the vast, fairy-tale compound
that also includes the former residence of the Thai monarch, the Grand Palace.
This ground was consecrated in 1782, the first year of Bangkok rule, and is today
Bangkok's biggest tourist attraction and a pilgrimage destination for devout Buddhists
and nationalists. The 94.5-hectare grounds encompass more than 100 buildings that rep-
resent 200 years of royal history and architectural experimentation.
Housed in a fantastically decorated
bòht
(chapel), the
Emerald Buddha
is the temple's
primary attraction.
Except for an anteroom here and there, the buildings of the Grand Palace are now put
to use by the king only for certain ceremonial occasions, such as Coronation Day.
Borombhiman Hall
, a French-inspired structure that served as a residence for Rama VI, is
occasionally used to house visiting foreign dignitaries. The building to the west is
Amarindra Hall
(open from Monday to Friday), originally a hall of justice but used today
for coronation ceremonies.
BUDDHIST TEMPLE, HISTORICAL SITE