Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WALK 7
NORTHERN OUTER RAT TANAKOSIN
Defending the
Realm
Along the bank of the second moat ran the city wall with its gates and forts, with remnants
still in place today, enclosing a neighbourhood that is known to every backpacker in the
world.
Duration: 2 hours
Bangkok's new city wall, its moat and the river made very effective defences, and the
Burmese now stood little chance of pulling of a repeat of their attack on Ayutthaya.
Gradually the threat of invasion receded, and within a century much of the old city wall had
been demolished under the modernising Rama
V
. Originally there were fourteen forts
along the city wall. Today, just two remain: Phra Sumen and Mahakan. Phra Sumen Fort
stands at the northern mouth of Klong Rob Krung, the part of the second moat that is more
usually known as Klong Bang Lamphu, taking its name from the locality. A hexagonal
structure built from brick and stucco, with two levels of battlements and an observation
tower topped with a pointed roof, the fort is still a commanding sight gleaming white in the
sunshine, even if its cannons threaten only the endless stream of traffic that flows alongside
its noble footings. For many years the fort was in a dilapidated condition, having been left
high and dry by the demolition of the old wall, but using old photographs as a guide, the
Fine Arts Department restored it in 1959 and a second restoration took place in 1981.
