Palaces and Heritage Buildings in Bangkok

This fine architecture, originally a royal residence of Prince Baripatra has been turned to offices of several organisations and finally become the Bank of Thailand National Museum featuring the prince’s life, the history of the central bank and Thai and foreign currencies.

Photo : www.bot.or.th

The shrine contains a wooden pillar erected by King Rama I in 1782 to represent the founding of the capital.The spirit of the pillar is considered the city's guardian deity to whom hundreds of Thai worshippers daily come to pay homage and offer prayers.

The Grand Palace is the most popular tourist place in Bangkok. To be in Bangkok without visiting the palace is like you have not been in the city. Located in the old town or the Rattanakosin Island in the heart of Bangkok, the exquisite craftsmanship and grandeur of its architecture proclaim the true meaning of Bangkok as a "city of angels".

Mentioning of key stops in Bangkok, a visit to "the house that was the talk of the town" is recommended. This remarkable Thai-style house, whose American owner revived Thai silk industry and disappeared in the Malaysian jungle decades ago has been turned to a museum displaying his collections of Thai silk and Asian artefacts.

Photo : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thompson_House

One of the finest 19th century northern style teakwood house serves as an ethnological museum exhibiting Lanna folk art and artifacts. It is located in the compound of the Siam Society which has a reference library that houses almost anything you would want to know about Thailand. The library is open to foreign visitors as well.

Photo : www.siam-society.org/facilities/kamthieng.html

Five traditional Thai style houses which once were the residence of one of Thailand’s leading art collectors, Prince Chumbhot of Nakhon Sawan, has been turned into a museum displaying an extensive collection of art and antiques, minerals and sea shells and items from prehistoric Ban Chiang civilization.

A former summer palace of King Rama V that was moved from the resort island to be a royal residence in the Dusit Palace compound is the world’s largest golden teakwood building. After a renovation in 1982, the mansion has been opened to the public as the private museum of King Rama V which exhibits antiques, porcelain, photographs and other priceless memorabilia.