Ban Wichayen

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Ruins of Ban Wichayen, Lop Buri

Ban Wichayen ( Thai : บ้าน วิ ชาเยนทร์ ; other spelling: Bahn Vichayen ; also "Baan Luang Rab Rat-Thut", บ้านหลวง รับ ราชทูต - literally: royal house to receive envoys ) was the residence of the French embassy, ​​the 1765 King Narai in Lop Buri , Northern Thailand . Later the Greek-born Constantine Phaulkon resided here , who had become a minister under King Narai.

location

The Ban Wichayen is located in the center of the old town of Lop Buri, 300 meters north of the Palace of King Narai ( Narai Ratcha Niwet ) , and 400 meters west of Lop Buri's most famous attraction, Prang Sam Yot .

Building history

The buildings were built by King Narai as a residence for the French ambassadors who visited the King in Lop Buri in 1658.

In the center of the building complex is a Christian church with a bell tower, which was built in a mix of European and Thai styles. The furnishings must have been magnificent, as the report by Guy Tachard, a Jesuit accompanied by the French, shows. To the west of it were the houses of the ambassadors. The eastern part is taken up by an inner courtyard around which other buildings are grouped. At the rear of the site there is a water tank and small storehouses.

All buildings are apparently built according to plans by Seigneur Constance , as Phaulkon was called by the French, in a European style, the houses are two-story. Finely executed stucco decorations, partially preserved, decorate the area above windows and doors. Semi-circular stairs lead to the entrances.

Because of the intended use, the building complex was initially called "Ban Luang Rab Rat-Thut" ( บ้านหลวง รับ ราชทูต ), Royal House for the reception of envoys . It was later known as Ban Wichayen ( บ้าน วิ ชาเยนทร์ ), named after Constantine Phaulkon's royal ministerial title Chao Phraya Wichayen .

Todays use

Today the area consists only of the ruins of the accommodations, which are located in a small, well-kept green area. It is surrounded by a high wall, tourists have to pay an entrance fee to get in.

swell

  • Brochure from the TAT ( Tourism Authority of Thailand , Central Region Office: Region 7, Lop Buri) on the province of Lop Buri , as well as TAT ​​plaques on the premises

Web links

Coordinates: 14 ° 48 ′ 10 ″  N , 100 ° 36 ′ 37 ″  E