The Grand Palace Bangkok Thailand

A Royal Guard

The Grand Palace complex was established in 1782 and it consists of not only the royal residence and throne halls, but also a number of government offices as well as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. After King Rama I ascended to the throne in 1782, the palace was built.  The Emerald Buddha was carved from a block of green jade and was first discovered in 1434 buried, at that time it was covered with plaster and was thought to be an ordinary Buddha image.  Later, the abbot who had found the image noticed that the plaster on the nose had flaked off, revealing the green stone underneath. When I entered the temple no pictures were allowed to be taken of the Emerald Buddha, he was very high up with a mass of ornate sculptures underneath.  There were many guards around and if you took a picture they would come up to you and make you delete it.  The residents was occupied by Kings Rama I, Rama II, and Rama III.  It was subsequently became customary for the sovereign to spend at least one night here after the coronation to signify the taking up of official residence.  But it is no longer the royals residence, it is now a tourist attraction that attracts thousands of people each day, go early and avoid the crowds.  I went at 9 am and walked around comfortably but by 11 am it was packed so I left.  Here are pictures:

School children wait to go into the Palace

On the Way in

So many buildings

By the Emerald Buddha Temple

One of the Many Buddhas

One of Many Shrines

These were all around this shrine

More Halls

Pavilions and Halls

Shrine

The ladder was bamboo  

Life Challenge:  Power always thinks.....  that they are doing God's service when they are violating all of his laws....  John Adams