The Grand Palace, Bangkok, is every bit as grand as the name suggests. The size of the complex of buildings and temples, the intricate detail on every single surface, and the sheer spectacle of the Thai architecture blew me away. On that sweltering hot day in early May (the temperature in Bangkok was above 40ºC; it was hot hot hot), I was conflicted between wanting to explore every single nook and cranny, to sticking in the shady areas in the style of a vampire.
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A kaleidoscope of mirrors and gold
There’s a dress code to adhere to if you want to visit the Grand Palace, and although the length of the dress I was wearing technically reached below my knees, I was getting concerned that the buttons down the front didn’t quite reach far enough. Nobody wants to expose their knees in a place with a dress code as strict as this, surely. (What an embarrassing prospect.) A quick run around the 7/11 in Chinatown led me to a pack of safety pins which I still carry with me for dress code related emergencies. Dress strategically tacked together, (shoulders covered, no shorts, no see-through clothes or cropped tops), we ticked the boxes of requirements to enter.
The wide open roads that surround the palace are quiet in comparison to the chaos and clamour of Chinatown, although opposite the entrance was a whole row of gift shops selling magnets, scarves and elephant-print trousers (for any other unprepared tourists to cover up with.) I was grateful for the safety pin-discovery. My suitcase did not have space for elephant-print trousers, thank you very much.
Inside, we explored the palace grounds in humid air; we weren’t the only visitors with a layer of sweat sticking our clothes to our skin, that’s for sure. Every open courtyard or garden inside was drenched in dazzling sunlight, made even more dazzling as it bounced off of the yellow-gold statues and gem-encrusted rooftops, corners flicking upwards like swirling elephant tusks. Entire walls were tiled with mirrored mosaic tiles, like a beautiful disco ball waiting for the party to begin, and inside ornate carvings were inlaid with different wood and gold leaf, depicting monkey-demons, kings, and soldiers marching and leering outwards. Flames of solid gold licked at windows, doors and rooftops, creeping upwards towards the incredible towers of temples which stand like beacons on the skyline.
Walking around the Grand Palace felt like being inside a kaleidoscope filled with textures, colours and patterns from a far-off, exotic planet. Soft flowers and rounded topiary inside the gardens provided a blurred contrast to the majestic technicolour architecture.
The story of the Grand Palace
Construction of the Grand Palace began in 1782 by King Phutthayotfa Chulalok. This new king had only recently seized the crown of Siam from the old king, and has part of his out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new philosohpy, he decided it would be a good idea to move the capital from Thonburi (on the west side of the river), to Bangkok (on the east side.)
The palace wasn’t just the King’s official place of residence; it operated like a city within a city, and over the years housed servants, guards, ministers, concubines and courtiers. Back in those days, the king had absolute power over Siam (as it was known), and as well as residential buildings and temples, the palace contained government offices and administrative buildings. And the most sacred building of them all is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, a royal chapel which houses the Emerald Buddha, one of Thailand’s most important icons.
By the early 1920s, the King no longer resided at the Grand Palace, and in 1932 a bloodless revolution influenced the monarchy changing from an ‘absolute’ monarchy to a ‘constitutional’ monarchy. Which, put simply, means that although the King still exists- not just exists, but is revered- he holds no real power over how the country is governed. In 1932, the country was renamed ‘Thailand,’ or ‘the land of the free,’ and although there are now no government buildings within the Grand Palace, it remains an important place in Thai culture.
How to visit the Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is open from 8.30am until 3.30pm every day, and you can buy tickets at the entrance for 500Baht (2025). Check that opening times are as scheduled here.
If you’d rather skip the queue, or would like to have a guided tour so you can learn more as you go, this tour with a local guide is very affordable and highly rated.
Two Days in Bangkok: An Itinerary
More beautiful buildings:
Inside the Palazzo Ducale, Venice