Bang Pa-In Palace This palace is located in Tambon Bang Len, Amphoe Bang Pa-In, 18 kilometres south of Ayutthaya. It lies 58 kilometres north of Bangkok by rail, 61 kilometres by road. To access to Bang Pa-In from Ayutthaya, one can go by Phahonyothin Road and make a right turn at Km.35 for another distance of 7 kilometres to Bang Pa - In Palace. The palace is open to the public everyday from 08.30-16.00 hrs. Admission fee is 50 baht per person. For more information Tel: 0-2224 - 3273 or 0-3526-1044

Originally, Bang Pa - In was a riverine island. When Prasat Thong became the Ayutthaya king (1630-1655), he had the Chumphon Nikayaram Temple built on his family estate. Later, he had a palace built on a lake in the middle of the island where he could periodically reside.

The palace, surrounded by a lake 400 metres long and 40 metres wide, and the Chumphon Kikayaram Temple, are all that remain of King Prasat Thong’s construction work at Bang Pa-In.

Bang Pa - In was used as a country residence by every Ayutthayan monarch after King Prasat Thong. But when the new capital was established in Bangkok, Bang Pa-In ceased to be used and was left unoccupied for 80 years. It was only during King Mongkut’s reign (1851-1868) that Bang Pa-In was again visited by kings. King Mongkut stayed there and had a house built in the old palace’s compound.

His son, King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) liked the place, stayed there every year and constructed the royal palace as it is now seen today. Important buildings inside the palace compound are :

Aisawanthipphaya-At Pavilion A Thai design pavilion in the middle of the pond was built in the reign of King Rama V. Originally built of wood throughout, King Rama VI commanded to change the floor and pillars to be reinforced concrete.

Warophatphiman hall It is north of the“Saphan Sadet” the royal path to and from the river landing. Formerly

the two-storey wooden villa was used as both the royal living quarters and Throne Hall. Later during his reign, King Rama V commanded the original one to be demolished and replaced with a European design building to be used as the Throne Hall to receive his subjects for royal ceremonies. In this hall are paintings of the royal historic records, Inao literature, Phra Aphai Mani literature and the Ramayana epic.

Phra Thinang Utthayan Phumisathian is a two-storey building located to the east and opposite the pond. It is a piece of elaborate work seen tinted alternately with dark and light greens. Its balcony is similar in design to a Swiss chalet.

Before being destroyed by fire during the restoration in 1938, the whole building was built from wood and decorated inside with mahogany furniture ordered directly from Europe. Other decorative items were precious offering rarely to be found, but forwarded to the capital from satellite towns. A beautiful flower garden surrounded the building.

Now, a concrete structure of the same model has been built to replace the one that was burnt.

Theatre This theatre was constructed by the royal command of King Rama VI in the compound of his consort’ s living quarters near the pond in the garden west of Utthayan Phumisathian Hall.

Ho Hemmonthian Thewarat is the stone Prang under a banyan tree near the pond within the outer part of the royal compound, where an image of a deity is housed. King Rama V ordered its construction in 1879 to replace an old shrine built by villagers as an offering to King Prasatthong of the Ayutthaya period.

Saphakhan Ratchaprayun This two-storeyed building on the river bank outside the palace wall was constructed by the royal command of King Rama V. It is in front of Warophat Phiman Hall in the south and was used as the living quarter of the non-consort members.

Witthunthassana Hall This hall, constructed in the form of a tower between Utthayan Phumisathian and Wehat Chamrun, is a three-storey building having a spiral staircase leading to the top floor hall. When residing in Bang Pa - In Palace, King Rama V used this hall as the place to get the bird’s eye view of the surrounding area.

Keng Buppha Praphat is the Chinese-style pavilion nearby the garden’s pond within the inner part of the royal compound. It was built in 1881 during the reign of King Rama V.

Wehat Chamrun Hall This hall located in the north of the palace, was constructed in the Chinese Emperor style as the royal offering by Phraya Choduk Ratchasetthi (Fak). King Chulachomklao usually made a royal visit during the cool season.

Monument Of Queen Sunantha This is a 3 metre high hexagonal marble building, situated on the east side of the royal palace. It was constructed to keep the ashed of the affectionate consort of King Rama V (Somdet Phranangchao Sunantha Kumarirat).

Monument Of Phra - Akkharachayathoe Phra-Ong Chao Saowaphak Narirat and Three Royal Children, or Anusawari Rachanuson It is the marble relif memorial that King Rama V, with his deep sorrow, ordered to be constructed in 1888 to commemorate his beloved consort (Phra - Akkharachayathoe Phra - Ongchao Saowaphak Narirat) and three royal children who passed away at different times of the same year, 1887. These portraits stand nearby the memorial of Somdet Phranangchao Sunantha Kumarirat.

Wat Niwet Thamprawat is the monastrey located to the south of an island in the Chao Phraya River, on the riverbank opposite the royal palace. In 1878, King Rama V ordered its construction to have the same architectural style of a Western cathedral. The building and its decorations are of Gothic style and beautified with colourful stained glass. The base ; where the principal image of Buddha and his followers were placed, was designed to resemble the one for the Cross in a Christian church, not a traditional Chukkachi base as seen in general.

The window blocks were especially made for curved windows. On the Ubosot wall in front of the principal Buddha image, there is a picture of King Rama V created with stained glass. Situated to the right of the Ubosot is Ho Phra Khanthararat, a shrine where Phra Khanthararat - a Buddha image in the posture of requesting rain, is put for worship. Opposite Ho Phra Khanthararat is another shrine, which is the house of a seated stone Buddha image protected by a seven - headed naga. It is an ancient Buddha image aged a thousand years, built in the Lopburi period by a Khmer craftsman.

This venerated Buddha image is very close to the big banyan tree that spreads its branches to shade the area in front fo the Ubosot. Not far from the Ubosot, there is a cluster of stones naturally found in Thailand, which contains the relics of Chaochommanda Chum, a consort of King Rama IV and mother of Prince (Somdet Kromphraya) Damrong Rajanubhab and the members of the ‘Diskul’ family. From Bang Pa - In Palace, visitors can access the monastery through a cable car that carries 6 - 8 passengers at a time. The fare depends on the passengers’ contributions.

Wat Chumphon Nikayaram is the monstrey located in the front area of Ko Muang, opposite to the train station. It was founded in 1632, by King Prasatthong’s command and restored during the reign of King Rama IV.

<<<Back :: more>>>