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PALACES - MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS
- Dusit palace |
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พระราชวังดุสิต |
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Dusit Palace is a large, spacious complex of Palaces, mansions
and throne halls build in Bangkok at the start of the 20th
century.
The Grand Palace had been the residence of Thai
Kings since the founding of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and its
capital Bangkok in 1782. With the number of buildings and
residents growing at the Grand Palace, King Chulalongkorn (Rama
V) decided to have a new Palace build.
King Chulalongkorn was
the first Thai King to visit Europe in 1897. During his travels
he became inspired by some of the European Palaces he saw with
broad boulevards and large, spacious parks.
Towards the end
of the 19th century the King acquired farmland in the Dusit area
to the North of the old Palace. The new Dusit Palace was build
on a very large area with more than a dozen Palaces, throne
halls, Royal mansions and other structures.
The complex was
initially named Suan Dusit, which means “heavenly garden” and
was later renamed to Dusit Palace. The style of some of the
structures show strong European influence, like the Renaissance
style Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, while others are in
traditional Thai style. Today many of the Palace buildings have
been turned into museums, some of which are open to the public.
Currently the Dusit complex is about 16 acres large; the former
Royal gardens named Khao Din Wana were turned into the Dusit Zoo
in 1938.
Buildings of Dusit Palace
There are over a
dozen Palaces, Throne Halls, Royal Mansions and other structures
at the Dusit Palace complex.
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall
The impressive and elegant Italian Renaissance style Ananta
Samakhom Throne Hall is probably the most eye catching of all
structures. Approaching Dusit Palace from Ratchadamnoen Nok road
the Palace sits at the end of a wide boulevard. A statue of King
Chulalongkorn on horseback at the Royal Plaza reminds of the
Palace builder.
Vimanmek Royal Teak Mansion
The
Vimanmek Royal Teak Mansion is an all teak wooden building used
by King Rama V as his personal living quarters that has now been
turned into a museum. The museum holds a large number of
personal items that belonged to King Rama V and it provides an
excellent opportunity to see the way the Thai Royals lived at
the start of the 20th century.
The Suan Hong Residential
Hall at Dusit Palace, Bangkok
The Suan Hong Residential Hall
was the residence of Queen Savang Vadhana, one of King
Chulalongkorn’s consorts. It is also known as “the Swan Garden”,
named after the swan that is the mount of Brahma, the Hindu God
of creation. The green, two storey building is decorated with
intricate wood carvings.
On display are models and photos of
the Royal barges and Royal barges procession, photos of the life
of HRH Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, the ordination to monkhood
of King Rama IX and the Crown Prince.
Also displayed are
photos of important ceremonies in Thailand, such as the annual
ploughing ceremony at Sanam Luang to mark the start of the rainy
season and rice planting time and other Royal ceremonies like
the Royal Swing ceremony, the Royal Investiture and the Royal
Tonsure ceremony. Early 2013 the Hall was closed to the public.
Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall
The Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall
was build in 1904. It was used to receive important foreign
visitors of King Chulalongkorn and as a banquet hall. The single
storey, ornate building is decorated with intricate carved
flower motifs on its panels and with stained glass windows.
During the early 1990’s the building was renovated and turned
into a museum displaying works of traditional Thai art and
handicrafts. In 1993 the King and Queen opened the museum
sponsored by the SUPPORT foundation. The foundation that was
initiated by HM Queen Sirikit aims at preserving traditional
Thai handicrafts and the skills to produce them. Among the items
on display are niello ware, gold and silver objects sculpted and
intricately decorated with various designs, necklaces, brooches,
Thai silk items in several designs and colors, wood carvings,
soap carvings and silver and gold inlaid items.
Tamnak Ho
Throne Hall of Dusit Palace in Bangkok
The Tamnak Ho Throne
Hall, that is also known the “newlyweds residential hall” was
initially part of the Bang Khun Phrom Palace on the banks of the
Chao Phraya river. The green, two storey structure was build by
King Chulalongkorn for the wedding of his son, HRH Prince
Paribatra Sukhumbhand and his wife in 1903.
The building was
dismantled and rebuild at its current location in the Dusit
Palace complex in 1998. Today the building houses personal items
that belonged to Queen Rambhai Barni (the wife of King Rama VII)
and pottery from the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya era, that were
discovered in shipwrecks found in the Gulf of Thailand. Early
2013 the Hall was closed to the public.
The Royal
Carriage Museum
On display are a number of early 20th century
carriages used by King Rama V. At the start of the 20th century,
Bangkok was known as “the Venice of the East” thanks to its many
waterways. King Rama V, inspired by the broad boulevards of
European cities decided to fill up canals and convert them into
roads to be used by carriages.
The Royal Elephant Museum
The Royal elephant stables turned into a museum displays
information about the history and cultural importance of white
elephants in Thai history. White elephants are very rare and
throughout Thai history have been a symbol of power and wealth
for Thai Kings.
Other buildings of Dusit Palace
The
Dusit complex further contains the Chitralada Palace, that is
used as the primary residence for the Royal Family and therefore
not open to the public, as well as several Royal residential
halls that were build for King Chulalongkorn’s sisters and other
members of the Royal Family.
Two former residential
halls, the HRH Princess Bussaban Bua-Phan Residential Hall and
the HRH Princess Arun-Wadi Residential Hall are now in use as
King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Royal Photography Museum. Both
buildings contain photos taken by HM the King and include photos
of the Royal Family, photos taken during the King’s visits to
remote areas of the country, nature, landscapes and many more.
Other residential halls that have been turned into museums
include the antique clock museum, the cloth and silk museum, and
the Ban Chiang Pottery Museum, that displays prehistoric pottery
found at the Ban Chiang archeological site, a village and burial
site dating back some 3,500 years and now a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
How to get to Dusit Palace
Dusit Palace
is located in the Dusit district, a few kilometers North of the
old Rattanakosin area with the Grand Palace. By far the easiest
and most comfortable way to get there is by air conditioned
metered taxi.
The nearest Chao Phraya Express river boat pier
is Thewes, from where is about 1,500 meters to the Palace
complex. The nearest BTS Sky Train station is Phaya Thai; from
there, follow Si Ayutthaya road to Dusit for about 2½
kilometers. From BTS Skytrain station Victory Monument take bus
515 that stops at Dusit Zoo, next to the Palace grounds.
Opening hours & admission
The Palace grounds are open daily
from 9.30 am until 4 pm. Admission fee is 100 Thai Baht. The
ticket is valid for all buildings at the Dusit complex that are
open to visitors, except for the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and
the Royal Elephants Museum that require a separate entrance fee
of 150 Baht and 50 Baht. If you have a Grand Palace ticket not
older than one week, admission to the Dusit complex is free.
Please follow the dress code of Royal buildings, meaning
long sleeved shirts, long pants or skirts and covered shoulders.
In most of the buildings photography is not allowed; please
check the signs at each building. |
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Bangkok |
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Dusit |
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Dusit |
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Palaces-Monuments and Memorials |
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n/a |
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Entry fee |
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Free |
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GPS : |
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13.77282 N |
100.51301 E |
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