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In 1767, Burmese forces attacked the Thai capital of Ayutthaya. With the city in ruins, King Rama I took control and decided to move and rebuild the capital in the city of Bangkok during May of 1782. The site for the new capital was carefully chosen for its strategic location. Water to one side and a swamp to the east would prevent attacks like the one that destroyed Ayutthaya. Chinese merchants had occupied the area, but were given compensation and relocated to the south in what is now China Town.

In order to retain the glory of the former capital, the new capital in Bangkok was patterned after Ayutthaya. To further link the two cities, some of the original materials from Ayutthaya were incorporated into the new capital buildings. As each new King ascended the throne, renovations continued throughout the palace. Each King's contribution is a statement of his rule and of the times in which he ruled. Since its original construction, the capital has only become more important as the center for the government as well as religion. This is an image of the Grand Palace
I recently visited the Grand Palace, otherwise known as Wat Pho, for the first time. Seen from the outside, beautiful spires rise up from behind thick, white walls. Once inside the walls, nothing can prepare a person for the amazing beauty and intricacy of the buildings and statues. In fact, I was so impressed by what I saw that I wanted to learn more about the history of the palace complex. I also wanted to learn more about the feeling of respect and veneration that visitors can detect for the King and the Buddha. Therefore, I decided to create a site where others might get a basic knowledge of the palace. While I do not consider this site the absolute authority on matters of the Grand Palace or Thailand, I hope that it helps to inspire others to seek out more information on a topic that is so intriguing.

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Created by Ann Church. Comments? Send me email.

Special thanks to Rebecca for all her guidance and support throughout the creation of this site.