Located in the heart of Bangkok, Phyathai Palace is a dazzling 20th-century royal residence. Due to its location, which is out of sight, it is seldom visited and not known to many foreigners. The Palace is also known as Phaya Thai, Phya Thai, or Phyathai, and is located adjacent to Victory Monument, which is found in downtown Bangkok.

The Construction of Phyathai Palace

King Chulalongkorn the Great, also known as Rama V, initiated the construction of the Palace in 1910. The building stands along the banks of the Samsen Canal. Back then, this was an area with a lot of farmland and was used by the king and his queen as a Royal Retreat. The area mainly served as farmland, and a wide range of crops was grown at that time. The king took part in carrying out agricultural experiments.

Today, the Phyathai is the only remaining Palace that is built in the European style. It is one structure that is composed of many lovely green wooden buildings. There are French doors all the way around, with roofs that are decorated with skillfully designed wood carvings, just like the ones used for theatre and ceremonial halls.

Following Queen Saovabha’s death, King Rama V had the structure demolished, but the Phra Thinang Thewarat Sapharom. The king then organised for constructions of newer structures, which then led to the new Royal Residence. The European design is currently the most notable feature of the Phyathai Palace. It features a red conical roof that looks like a fairy tale castle. The interior of the building is entirely European, with attractive frescos on the ceiling taking the Italian style.

How to reach Phyathai Palace

To get to the Palace, you should use the BTS Skytrain to Victory Monument station. From there, the building is a few minutes’ walk. Walk West on Thanon Ratchawithi, and the Palace is located on the right side of the road. To be precise, it is found on the turf of Phramongkutkalo hospital.

Photo Credit Berry / CC BY-SA