This
is a "must"
for every visitor
to Bangkok, for
the Grand Place
Complex, which includes
the Temple of The
Emerald Buddha (Wat
Phra Keow) is unquestionably
one of the wonders
of the world today.
Within its enormous
grounds is the most
exotic Buddhist
temple and at the
heart of the temple
itself is a fabulous
Buddha image, carved
from one piece jade,
which is the holiest
and most revered
of religious objects
in Thailand today.
Nearby
is the Grand Palace,
once the official
home of the Kings
of Siam-built in
traditional Thai
architecture mixed
with European designs.
You will also visit
The Royal Funeral
Hall and The Royal
Coronation Hall.
This Palace has
an area of 218,400
sq.
meters
and is surrounded
by walls built in
1783. The length
of the four walls
totals 1900 meters.
Within these walls
are situated government
offices and the
Chapel Royal of
the Emerald Buddha
besides the royal
residences.When
Siam restored law
and order after
the fall of Ayudhya
the monarch lived
in Dhonburi on the
other side of the
river. Rama I, immediately
on ascending the
throne, moved the
center of administration
to this side of
the Chaopraya; and,
after erecting public
monuments such as
fortifications and
monasteries,
built
a palace to serve
not only as his
residence but also
his offices the
various ministries,
only one of which
remains in the palace
walls. This palace
came to be known
as the Grand Palace,
in which the earliest
edifices contemporary
with the foundation
of Bangkok were
the two groups of
residences named
the Dusit Mahaprasad
and the Mahamontien