Grand Palace | Bangkok | Thailand - AFAR Magazine

Bangkok's most iconic site is a massive palace complex that served as the royal residence until 1925. Of its many buildings, the one with the most architectural ... HomeTravelGuidesThailand GrandPalaceNaPhraLanRd,KhwaengPhraBoromMahaRatchawang,KhetPhraNakhon,KrungThepMahaNakhon10200,ThailandWebsite|+6626235500SharethisplaceFacebookTwitterPinterestEmailSave MoreinfoSun-Sat8:30am-3:30pmGrandPalaceBangkok’smosticonicsiteisamassivepalacecomplexthatservedastheroyalresidenceuntil1925.Ofitsmany buildings,theonewiththemostarchitecturalinterestisChakriMahaprasat.Itwasdesigned in1882byBritisharchitects,inastylethatcouldbedescribedastraditionalThaimeetsItalianRenaissance.Nearbyisthe1784WatPhraKaeo,orTempleoftheEmeraldBuddha,Thailand’smostsacredBuddhistplaceofworship.GoinsidetoseetheEmeraldBuddha,carvednotofemeraldbutofsemipreciousgreenstone,robedingoldandjust66centimeters(26inches)high.By SophieFriedman ,AFARLocalExpert MoreRecommendationsMaeveNolanabout8yearsagoExperiencetheMajestyoftheRoyalCityThailand’sreveredmonarchyiskeytothecountry’sidentity,andBangkok’sroyalsightsarebefittingoftheinstitution’sstatus.TheobviousplacetostartisattheGrandPalace.LocatedonRattanakosinIsland–theoriginalfortifiedcenterofBangkokwhenitwasfoundedin1782–thesprawlingwalledcomplexhasevolvedorganicallythroughanumberofreignswithnumerousbuildings,halls,templesandpavilionssetaroundopenlawns,gardensandcourtyards.AnotheressentialregalattractionisDusitPalacePark.ConceivedbyKingRamaVafterhisfirstEuropeantourin1897,thepalacesandhallshereareauniquemélangeofThaiandEuropeanarchitecturalstyles.MatthewKeeseckerAFARLocalExpertabout8yearsagoAGrandGrandPalaceNotriptoBangkokiscompletewithoutavisittotheGrandPalace,whichrestselegantlyinthemiddleofthecityonthebanksoftheChaoPhrayaRiver.Fromtheoutsidewallstotheinsidedecor,thepalaceispositivelydrippingwithvibrantcolorsandincrediblearchitecturaldetail.Theintricacyofthecraftsmanshiponeachofthesebuildingsisabsolutelyamazing.Youcanspendanentiredayexploringthe2.3millionsquarefootcomplex.Fromthepavilions,gardensandcourtyardstothestatuesandiconicheadsthatadornalmosteverysurface,it'saphotographer'sdream—andthat'snotevencountingthepeople-watching!ThenexttimeyouswingthroughBangkok,lookfortheshimmeringgoldcitywithinthecity,andyouwilldiscoveraGrandPalaceindeed.BronwenGregoryAFARLocalExpertabout8yearsagoLifeisGrandinBangkokIfyou'respendingtimeinBangkok,theGrandPalaceisanabsolute.Thiscollectionofbuildingsintheheartofthecitywillwowyouinscale,passion,andcolor.Until1925thiswastheofficialresidenceofthekingandwhilethepresentmonarch,KingBhumibolAdulyadej,livesattheChitraladaPalace,he'llstillusetheGrandPalaceforofficialannualevents.Onthegrounds,you'llnoticetheRoyalGrandPalaceandtheexceptionalEmeraldBuddha(whilevisitingtheWatPhraKaew/RoyalChapel).Itisincrediblyupliftingandextremelywarm,whileyou'reinthecomplex.Enjoyadayexploringthepalacebutbesuretohydrateandwearsunscreen.MatthewKeeseckerAFARLocalExpertabout8yearsagoWatPhoOnceinsidetheGrandPalaceinBangkok,youhavenumerousplacestovisit.ThephotoaboveisintheWatPhoareaofthepalacegrounds.Thereareover1000imagesofBuddhalocatedhere,andit'salsosaidtobethebirthplaceofThaimassage.KristinZibellAFARLocalExpertabout8yearsagoThereArePalacesandThenThere'stheGrandPalaceBangkok'sGrandPalaceisoneverytourist'sto-dolist.Anditshouldbe.Avisittoanycountry'sroyalcomplexshowsoffthebestandmostelaborateartandarchitecture—thestuffthecountryistrulyproudof.AttheGrandPalace,goldenroofsgleemateveryturnandexquisitestatueslookyouintheeye.ThegrandestbuildingistheTempleoftheEmeraldBuddha,however,theBuddhaisactuallyjadeite.CynthiaPopperabout8yearsagoTheMustSee:TheGrandPalaceinBangkokEvenifyou'reinBKKforjustaday,doyourselfafavorandferryovertotheGrandPalace.Thestaggeringamountofhandworkinthethousandsgolden,ceramic,andmirroredtilesthatcoverthisincrediblecomplexmakethepalacethemostphoto-worthymonumentinthecity.NearthePalace,you'llfindloadsoflittleshopsandrestaurantsservingnoodles,sweets,freshfruitandothersnacks.Bewaryofpeddlersandscamartists--therearesignseverywhereadvisingtouristsfromengagingwithlocalhucksterssurroundingthearea.(Asasolofemaletraveler--Ihadnoproblem--justbesmart!)Admission:about15.00USDNinetteabout8yearsagoGiantShinyThingsWhenIfirstenteredtheGrandPalacearea,Ihadtostopandtakequiteafewmoments.Thereweresomanyshinythingsandsomuchtotakeinitwasoverwhelming!NatashaWeiszabout8yearsagoAmaz-bling!TravelingonGEEO'sThailand/Laos/Cambodiateachertravelprogram,ouradventuresbeganinBangkok.OneofthefirstplaceswevisitedwastheGrandPalace.It'snotactuallyasinglepalacebutalargecomplexofhalls,pavilionsandtemples.Thecolorswereamazing,golds,vibrantemeraldgreensandred.InsidethegroundsoftheGrandPalaceistheTempleoftheEmeraldBuddhawhichisconsideredoneofThailand'smostsacredsites.VisitorsshouldbeawarethatthereisadresscodeforvisitingtheGrandPalace.Nobareshouldersandcovereddowntotheknees.Thereisaplaceattheentrancewherevisitorscanborrow/rentsarongsifthey'recaughtunprepared.VeronicaHackethalabout8yearsagoGrandPalace,ThailandAllthegoldcoveringtheGrandPalaceinBangkokcanbeblinding!Toappreciatetheopulence,sometimesyouneedsomethinglessshinyforcomparison.Thisbuddhaseemstodothetrick. seeanythinginaccurate?letoureditorsknowPlaceispermanentlyclosedPlacehasincorrectaddressPlaceismarkedincorrectlyonmapContentmayviolateguidelinesContentisinaccurateSharethisPlaceSharethisplaceFacebookTwitterPinterestEmailSave MoreFromAFARHistory+Culture10“StrangerThings”FilmingLocationsYouCanVisitRestaurants+Cafés14DeliciousFrenchPastriesforGourmandsWithaSweetToothNationalParksCanYouVisitYosemiteRightNow?TravelGearTheBestDealsforTravelersintheNordstromAnniversarySale2022