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Wat Phra Kaew

1780s in Siam1784 establishments in Siam18th-century Buddhist templesBuddhist pilgrimage sites in ThailandBuddhist temples in Bangkok
Grand PalacePhra Nakhon districtRattanakosin KingdomReligious buildings and structures completed in 1784Use British English from May 2020
Wat Phra Kaew by Ninara TSP edit crop
Wat Phra Kaew by Ninara TSP edit crop

Wat Phra Kaew (Thai: วัดพระแก้ว, RTGS: Wat Phra Kaeo, pronounced [wát.pʰráʔ.kɛ̂ːw] (listen)), commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex consists of a number of buildings within the precincts of the Grand Palace in the historical centre of Bangkok. It houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha, which is venerated as the country's palladium. Construction of the temple began in 1783 under the orders of Rama I, the first king of the Chakri dynasty. Since then, each successive king has been personally involved in adding, restoring and embellishing the temple during their reigns as a way of making religious merit and glorifying the dynasty. Many important state and royal ceremonies are held within the temple each year, presided by the king in person and attended by government officials. This makes the temple the nation's preeminent place of worship and a national shrine for the monarchy and the state. Throughout the years, each king has donated sacred and valuable objects to the temple, making it a treasury as well. The temple complex comprises various buildings for specific religious purposes built in a variety of Thai architectural styles, while still adhering to the traditional principles of Thai religious architecture.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Wat Phra Kaew (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Wat Phra Kaew
Sanam Chai Road, Bangkok Phra Nakhon District

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Latitude Longitude
N 13.751388888889 ° E 100.4925 °
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วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม

Sanam Chai Road
10200 Bangkok, Phra Nakhon District
Bangkok, Thailand
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Wat Phra Kaew by Ninara TSP edit crop
Wat Phra Kaew by Ninara TSP edit crop
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Grand Palace
Grand Palace

The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, RTGS: Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The king, his court, and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), resided at the Chitralada Royal Villa and his successor King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) at the Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall, both in the Dusit Palace, but the Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year. The palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand. Construction of the palace began on 6 May 1782, at the order of King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I), the founder of the Chakri Dynasty, when he moved the capital city from Thonburi to Bangkok. Throughout successive reigns, many new buildings and structures were added, especially during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). By 1925, the king, the Royal Family and the government were no longer permanently settled at the palace, and had moved to other residences. After the abolition of absolute monarchy in 1932, all government agencies completely moved out of the palace. In shape, the palace complex is roughly rectangular and has a combined area of 218,400 square metres (2,351,000 sq ft), surrounded by four walls. It is situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River at the heart of the Rattanakosin Island, today in the Phra Nakhon District. The Grand Palace is bordered by Sanam Luang and Na Phra Lan Road to the north, Maharaj Road to the west, Sanam Chai Road to the east and Thai Wang Road to the south. Rather than being a single structure, the Grand Palace is made up of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions set around open lawns, gardens and courtyards. Its asymmetry and eclectic styles are due to its organic development, with additions and rebuilding being made by successive reigning kings over 200 years of history. It is divided into several quarters: the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; the Outer Court, with many public buildings; the Middle Court, including the Phra Maha Monthien Buildings, the Phra Maha Prasat Buildings and the Chakri Maha Prasat Buildings; the Inner Court and the Siwalai Gardens quarter. The Grand Palace is currently partially open to the public as a museum, but it remains a working palace, with several royal offices still situated inside.

Bangkok
Bangkok

Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population of 10.539 million as of 2020, 15.3 percent of the country's population. Over 14 million people (22.2 percent) lived within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region at the 2010 census, making Bangkok an extreme primate city, dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in both size and importance to the national economy. Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew and became the site of two capital cities, Thonburi in 1768 and Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization of Siam, later renamed Thailand, during the late-19th century, as the country faced pressures from the West. The city was at the centre of Thailand's political struggles throughout the 20th century, as the country abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule, and underwent numerous coups and several uprisings. The city, incorporated as a special administrative area under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in 1972, grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society. The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many multinational corporations to locate their regional headquarters in Bangkok. The city is now a regional force in finance and business. It is an international hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as a centre for the arts, fashion, and entertainment. The city is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its red-light districts. The Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong. Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations, and has been named the world's most visited city consistently in several international rankings. Bangkok's rapid growth coupled with little urban planning has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure. Despite an extensive expressway network, an inadequate road network and substantial private car usage have led to chronic and crippling traffic congestion, which caused severe air pollution in the 1990s. The city has since turned to public transport in an attempt to solve the problem, operating eight urban rail lines and building other public transit, but congestion still remains a prevalent issue. The city faces long-term environmental threats such as sea level rise due to climate change.

Maha Rat Road
Maha Rat Road

Maha Rat Road (Thai: ถนนมหาราช, RTGS: Thanon Maha Rat, pronounced [tʰa.nǒn má.hǎː.râːt]) is a short street, 1.7 km (1.1 mi) long along Chao Phraya River to the southeast. It is located in Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang subdistrict, Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand. The road begins at Phra Chan Road in the Tha Phra Chan area, running alongside the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, and ending at Charoenrat 31 Bridge and Chak Phet Road in the Pak Khlong Talat area. It is an original road dating back to the founding of Rattanakosin Kingdom. Formerly, it ran along the western wall of the Grand Palace, serving as one of the encircling roads of the palace, similar to Na Phra Lan Road or Sanam Chai Road. At first, it was merely a narrow walkway paved with large perforated bricks. Later, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the path was expanded into a proper road running parallel to the western wall of the Grand Palace. The name Maha Rat is believed to be an abbreviation of Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang (the Grand Palace). Although it is a short, Maha Rat Road passes several important landmarks. In addition to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, these include Tha Maha Rat, Tha Chang, Royal Thai Navy Club, Tha Ratcha Woradit, Tha Tian, Museum Siam, Chakrabongse Villas and Rajini School. In 2022, an underground pedestrian tunnel was completed at Tha Chang, linking Maha Rat Road with Na Phra Lan Road. The tunnel is 4.7 m (15.4 ft) deep and extends for about 90 m (295.3 ft). It is fully air-conditioned for the convenience of visitors and houses a permanent exhibition featuring photographs and information about the Rattanakosin Island area. In addition, there are 35 free public toilets available, comprising 15 for men and 20 for women.