Grand Palace
Royal Palace Complex Founded In 1782; It Includes Wat Phra Kaew, The Temple Of The Emerald Buddha · Bangkok, Bangkok
The royal palace of Thailand, a walled city of gilded halls, spires and temples on the bank of the Chao Phraya that King Rama I began in 1782 when he founded Bangkok. Within its white walls lies Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the most sacred temple in the kingdom, where a small green Buddha image sits high on a golden throne and is dressed in seasonal robes changed by the King himself. Around it rise golden chedis, a Khmer-style prang, mosaic-covered stupas and giant yaksha demon guardians, and the galleries that enclose the temple are painted with the Ramakien, the Thai telling of the Ramayana, in more than a hundred panels. Beyond lies the outer court with the Chakri Maha Prasat, a European-style throne hall topped with Thai roofs, and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. The palace is still used for state ceremonies, the dress code is strictly enforced, and the paved courts give almost no shade, so arrive at opening with covered shoulders and knees.
Na Phra Lan Road, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Bangkok, 10200, Thailand
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: open daily from about 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, with the ticket office closing and last entry at about 3:30 pm, and the grounds emptying soon after. There is no regular weekly closing day, but the palace closes wholly or partly on royal ceremony days, state occasions, special Buddhist and merit-making days and during the seasonal robe changing of the Emerald Buddha, sometimes announced only a few days ahead. Traps: arriving after 3 pm, being turned away for shorts or bare shoulders, the 'palace is closed today' scam at the gate, midday heat on the open courts, and assuming the photography rules allow shots inside the Emerald Buddha hall.