The construction of the Grand Palace was started in 1782 and it remains the residence of the Thai royal monarchy to this day. Not only that, there are also a number of government office within this complex as well. And just like any self-respecting Thai, the palace grounds also has its own set of temples, some of them for exclusive use of the Thai monarchy. It was King Rama I that commissioned the building of what is now known as the Grand Palace.
It has since grown into an amazing collection of Thai royal and religious architecture. It is a wonder to be walking along these grounds. Afterall it is not every day that you get to walk in a working royal palace. Upon entry into the Grand Palace complex one of the first structures you will see is the collection of structures known as the Upper Terrace. The most notable structures here are the golden zedi, a lot of which dot the entire country. A structure called the Mondop which keeps sacred Buddhist writings.
One of the more unique structures here is a miniature replica of the Angkor Wat found in Cambodia, this was commissioned by the order of King Mongkut. It shows how much admiration they Thai royalty had for the Angkor Wat. The buildings are distinctly Thai even though they are all Buddhist in nature. This was truly a place befitting a king.
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