Dear Steemit Friends:
Last month, I was really lucky to have had the chance to visit Thailand with my friends. Even before visiting, when I think of Thailand, I think of the golden, bright and dazzling buildings, in particular the Grand Palace. Today, we'll be taking a visit to this building with so much heritage and history and see for ourselves one of the most extraordinary examples of Thai architecture to this day.
Even in Winter, the temperature in Thailand remains at a scorching 36 degrees C with very strong sunshine. Out of respect for the setting and of the recent passing of their King Bhumibol, I dressed in all black and full length trousers. The heat was nearly unbearable..
Many visitors came well prepared for the heat and brought their umbrellas to protect them from the sun. At the public square, we see many tourists waiting and queuing to enter the palace.
These are the imperial bodyguards which gaurd the entrance.
Upon entering the public square, you'll see this lovely sign post welcoming the visitors to the Grand Palace.
Because of the heat, there are many people resting underneath the shade. You'll also see quite a few monks taking a break too.
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Next we'll go into this marvelous building complex. The view from afar really represents general impression of Thailand. A scene composed of blue skys, white clouds and behind the city wall, a plethora of buildings which literally stand out for their shining golden towers. This is the Grand Palace in a nutshell.
Many tour groups have chosen this spot to take a memorable photo.
Of course the queue for entrance tickets was also really long. The price for entry is 500 Baht which is about $14. You can also book these tickets online for a little less.
The entrance tickets to the Grand Palace also includes tickets to see the Reclining Buddha.
The Grand Palace was build in 1782 and from the 18th century to this day remains the Siam Kingdom's Imperial Palace and is also where the imperial family live. Therefore, it's status is held in high regard.
This is the entrance to the actual Palace.
Remember to pick up a guide map of the palace at the entrance. There are English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese versions.
The Jade Buddha Temple is one of the three major Buddhist temples in Thailand and accounts for one quarter the area of the Grand Palace. Just north of the Jade Buddha Temple there are three pagodas. From the pictures from right to left, we have the Ceylon-style golden relic pagoda, the Thai Tripitaka, and the Khmer Rouge Bailong Temple.
As we walk along the path from the entrance, we are first presented with this magnificent golden round tower which was originally used to store the Buddhist sternal relics.
Here's a photo with this golden masterpiece. Most of the gold on these buildings are gold leafs and not actual gold, that's not to say the building has lost any of it's grandeur.
The picture below shows the Tripitaka pagoda on the left, and on the right is the Bilong Temple which stands almost 40 meters high.
The Tripitaka was created by the Rama I.
Let's take a look at the buildings in more detail.
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This is the very large and formidable Yaksha spirit King, in total there are 12 Yaksha spirit kings who protect the Jade Buddha Temple.
This blue roof building is the main hall of the Jade Buddha Temple. Visitors wishing to go inside must take off their shoes. Inside, the temple there is a beautiful statue of a Buddha carved from Jade and hence the name of the building. Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed, but it was very glorious and magnificent to see.
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There is magnificent Siamese architecture everywhere.
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The Golden Pagoda is propped up by 12 of the Yaksha spirit Kings.
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On this day, there were also many local Thai people who came to pay homage and their respects to the late King.
On my way out, I saw a lot of guards sitting down taking a break. They must be on rotation since standing outside in the heat for so long must be very tiring!
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This is the largest of the buildings in the Grand Palace and belongs to Victoria. The spires are pointy and cast a rich Thai style to it's design.
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Tips when visiting the Grand Palace：
- Dress Requirements : Shirts cannot be sleeveless, lower body garments must go below the knee. You also cannot wear sandals. If you show up with inappropriate clothes, you can rent or buy suitable clothes at the shops near the entrance.
- Travel : If you choose to travel by Taxi, remember to ask for the meter. Since the surrounding area of the Grand Palace is largely cordoned off, once you finish sightseeing the only road leading out from the palace is largely full of Taxi's. At peak times, not only are the taxi's extremely expensive, but the traffic moves very slowly.
When you enter the Palace, you can and should bring a bottle of water which you can put in your bag. If you're afraid of the sun, then an umbrella will also help a great deal.
The Grand Palace is often shut during some public holidays, or when there are some imperial ceremonies taking place. So make sure to check online if it is open before you visit.
玉佛寺是泰國三大佛寺之一，占大皇宫的面积的四分之一。而在玉佛寺主殿北方，有三座佛塔，图片上从右往左，分别是锡兰式金色舍利佛塔，纯泰式藏经阁和高棉式的碧隆天神殿。沿着大门走进来之后，一抬头就会看见金闪闪的圆形金塔，用来收藏佛祖的胸骨舍利。和它合影，大皇宫内大多采用的是金箔来代替黄金，但是气势上一点也不输。这蓝色的建筑是玉佛寺的大雄宝殿。游客进入里面参观，都要脱鞋。殿内供奉的佛由罕见的整块绿色翡翠雕刻而成，全身散发灿烂光彩，好看极了，可惜禁止拍照。美轮美奂的暹罗式建筑无处不在。金佛塔由12位夜叉王托起。参观的当日，正巧碰上很多泰国本地人自发的来祭奠故去国王的大日子。出门的时候看到很多士兵坐在里面休息。这是大皇宫里规模最大的节基皇殿，是属于维多利亚的建筑，不过方形的尖顶还是突出了浓郁的泰国风味。
大皇宫的温馨提示：
1.着装要求：上衣不能无袖，下身裙子或裤子必须超过膝盖，不能穿凉鞋。当然如果穿着不合规定，还可以在入口右侧柜台租借服装，或者再边上小店买。
2.交通：如果选择taxi，要记得让司机打表。大皇宫附近几乎都被戒严，所以游览完毕，唯一通车的路会堵满了taxi，在打车高峰期，不仅价格贵还非常的堵。
3.进皇宫可以带一小瓶水放在包里，如果怕晒就带上太阳伞。4.大皇宫在一些泰国的法定假日和皇家仪式时会闭馆，所以大家在去之前都要在网上查看一下。
希望大家喜欢我们的泰国大皇宫之旅，之后还有更多我在泰国有趣的故事要分享给大家。