Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Dusit Palace Park

Bangkok


Following his first European tour in 1897, Rama V (King Chulalongkorn; r 1868–1910) returned with visions of European castles and set about transforming these styles into a uniquely Thai expression that resulted in today's Dusit Palace Park, a royal complex with several notable pavilions and museums. At the time of research, the premises were temporarily closed for renovations, with no confirmed reopening date.

Originally constructed on Ko Si Chang in 1868 and moved to the present site in 1910, Vimanmek Teak Mansion contains 81 rooms, halls and anterooms, and is said to be the world's largest golden-teak building, allegedly built without the use of a single nail. The mansion was the first permanent building on the Dusit Palace grounds, and served as Rama V's residence in the early 20th century. The interior of the mansion contains various personal effects of the king and a treasure trove of early Ratanakosin-era art objects and antiques. Compulsory tours (in English) leave every 30 minutes between 9.45am and 3.15pm, and last about an hour.

The nearby Ancient Cloth Museum presents a beautiful collection of traditional silks and cottons that make up the royal cloth collection.

Originally built as a throne hall for Rama V in 1904, the smaller Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall is typical of the finer architecture of the era. Victorian-influenced gingerbread architecture and Moorish porticoes blend to create a striking and distinctly Thai exterior. The hall houses an excellent display of regional handiwork crafted by members of the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations & Related Techniques (Support) foundation, a charity organisation sponsored by Queen Sirikit.

Near the Th U Thong Nai entrance, two large stables that once housed three white elephants – animals whose auspicious albinism automatically make them crown property – now form the Royal Thai Elephant Museum. One of the structures contains artefacts and photos outlining the importance of elephants in Thai history and explaining their various rankings according to physical characteristics. The second stable holds a life-sized model of the previous king's first royal white elephant. Draped in royal vestments, the statue is more or less treated as a shrine by the visiting Thai public.

Because this is royal property, visitors should wear shirts with sleeves and long pants (no cropped pants) or long skirts.

Transportation

  • skytrain: Phaya Thai exit 1/3 & taxi
  • ferry: Thewet Pier

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bangkok attractions

1. Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall

0.19 MILES

The domed neoclassical building behind the Rama V Memorial was originally built as a royal reception hall during the reign of Rama V, but wasn't completed…

2. Rama V Memorial

0.37 MILES

The bronze figure on horseback is Rama V (King Chulalongkorn; r 1868–1910), the monarch widely credited for steering the country into the modern age and…

3. Wat Benchamabophit

0.54 MILES

You might recognise this iconic temple from its impression on the back of the ubiquitous Thai 5B coin. Also referred to as the Marble Temple, it was…

4. National Library

0.62 MILES

The country’s largest repository of books has few foreign-language resources, but its strength is in its astrological books and star charts. The…

5. Thewet Market

0.74 MILES

This busy wet market is a prime place to study the mind-boggling array of local culinary produce that embodies the essence and identity of Bangkok's…

6. Wat Thevarat Kunchorn

0.85 MILES

The origins of this riverside Buddhist temple located near Thewet Pier date back to pre-Ratanakosin days, but it was successively built upon and renovated…

7. King Prajadhipok Museum

1.35 MILES

This museum assembles old photos and memorabilia to illustrate the rather dramatic life of Rama VII (King Prajadhipok; r 1925–35), Thailand's last…

8. Wat Bowonniwet

1.35 MILES

Founded in 1826, Wat Bowonniwet (known colloquially as Wat Bowon) is the national headquarters for the Thammayut monastic sect, a reformed version of Thai…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "thailand/bangkok/thewet-dusit/attractions/dusit-palace-park/a/poi-sig/1243413/1324179",
      "destination": "Bangkok",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "Thailand",
      "city": "Bangkok",
      "position": "superzone"
    }