Wat Phra Kaew: Temple of the Emerald Buddha — Complete Visitor Guide Wat Phra Kaew — officially Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram — is Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist temple, located within the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok. It houses the Emerald Buddha, a 66-centimetre jade statue that has been the spiritual palladium of the Thai … Read more
The Emerald Buddha: History, Significance & the Seasonal Costume Changes The Emerald Buddha (Phra Kaew Morakot) is a 66-centimetre jade statue of the meditating Buddha housed at Wat Phra Kaew inside the Grand Palace, Bangkok. It is considered the spiritual palladium of Thailand — the divine protector of the kingdom. The statue is not made … Read more
Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles: The Grand Palace's Hidden Gem The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles is a world-class collection of Thai royal textiles, historic royal costumes, and traditional silk weaving housed inside the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok. It is fully included in the standard 500 THB Grand Palace entry ticket and is air-conditioned. … Read more
Grand Palace Murals, Gardens & Mythical Creatures: A Closer Look The Grand Palace Bangkok contains one of Thailand’s most ambitious works of art — 178 mural panels depicting the Ramakien epic running around the full inner perimeter of the Wat Phra Kaew compound wall. The complex also features dozens of mythological guardian statues including the … Read more
Grand Palace Buildings & Architecture: A Guide to Every Major Structure The Grand Palace Middle Court contains four major buildings open to visitors — the Chakri Maha Prasat Hall (1882, Victorian-Thai fusion), the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall (1789, classic Thai royal architecture), the Phra Thinang Amarin Winichai audience hall, and the Aphorn Phimok Prasat … Read more
Grand Palace Bangkok History: From 1782 to Today The Grand Palace Bangkok was founded in 1782 by King Rama I, the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, when he moved the Thai capital from Thonburi to Bangkok. Construction of the palace and Wat Phra Kaew began immediately, with major expansions and additions made by every … Read more
