The Grand Palace Complex must be seen while in Bangkok. The Construction of the Palace Complex was begun in 1782 on the east bank of the Chao Phraya river. It is beautiful, rich in history and has many significant statues and buildings.
The King doesn’t live at the Palace any more but it is however, very much still in use; the King performs many royal rituals at the Palace every year. Other royal ceremonies celebrated here are coronations; royal funerals, marriages and state banquets.
The big draw is the Emerald Buddha, which, despite its name, is actually made of jade. It is one of the most venerated treasures in all of Thailand. It is housed in the Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
Usually prohibited to photograph, but…
The Emerald Buddha cannot be touched by anyone but the King of Thailand, who changes the statue’s robes 3 times per year during solemn ceremonies. The legendary history of this image of Buddha is traced back to India around 1100 CE and was fought over for years until it was brought to Bangkok and was placed in Wat Phra Kaew in 1782.
The nearby Wat Pho temple complex contains a large gold statue of the reclining Buddha. It’s a must-see… remember, appropriate dress please; modest cover-ups for women and no shorts for men.The rules are strictly enforced.
It is hot and crowded but there really are no words for these places, there is so much gold and so many precious stones used in the intricate details... you have to see it to believe it.
Beautiful!
ReplyDelete