Narai Ratchaniwet

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Map of Lop Buri with palace from the 17th century
North-east main entrance to the palace grounds

The Phra Narai Ratchaniwet ( Thai พระ นารายณ์ ราช นิเวศน์ - literally: Narayana's Royal Palace , also Wang Narai for short - วัง นารายณ์ ) is a palace complex in Lop Buri , one of the oldest cities in Thailand .

location

The Phra Narai Ratchaniwet is located in the center of the old town of Lop Buri on the banks of the river of the same name .

Warehouses and portal to the interior area
Royal elephant stables
Entrance to the inner area, in the background the Chantara Phisan Hall
Dusit Sawan Thanya Mahaprasat Hall
Dusit Sawan Hall with the King's audience window

Building history and facility

The palace buildings were erected between the 17th and 19th centuries . King Narai the Great (1656–1688) had it laid out as his second residence.

The rectangular area, about seven hectares (41 Rai ), is surrounded by high brick walls, eleven large portals allow access to the palace, which is further divided into an outer, central and inner area. The areas are also surrounded by high walls and can be entered through similar portals.

Outside area

The outer area is in the eastern half of the palace grounds. It is divided into two courtyards of roughly the same size. The first courtyard is entered through the northeast entrance portal, today's main entrance. In addition to the ruins of a water basin from which all palace buildings were supplied with water through pipes, there are twelve brick houses arranged in two parallel rows (Thai: หมู่ ตึก 12 ท้องพระคลัง ), which were used as warehouses. The stables of the royal elephants (Thai: โรง ช้าง หลวง ) were located on the western wall . Today the ruins of ten stables can still be seen here, smaller structures were probably the dwellings of the mahouts .

To the south of it, in the second courtyard, there was the “building for the reception of dignitaries” (Tuk Rap Rong Khaek Mueang - Thai: ตึก รับรอง แขกเมือง ) in impressive gardens . It is built in French style and surrounded on three sides by a canal with 20 gargoyles. In front of it are foundations of probably a stage on which actors entertained the guests.

The Phra Chao Hao Hall (Thai: ตึก พระเจ้า เหา ) is located on the south wall of the site . It is ten meters wide and 20 meters long and built in a Thai style. Since there was probably a Buddha statue in it, French visitors suspected that it was the temple of the palace. Towards the end of King Narai's reign, the future King Phetracha and Khun Luang Sorasak (later King Phrachao Suea ) received nobles and soldiers here to plan a coup to overthrow the king.

Central area

Another portal leads to the central area. In a small courtyard are the ruins of the Dusit Sawan Thanya Mahaprasat Hall (Thai: พระที่นั่ง ดุสิต สวรรค์ ธัญ ญ มหา ปราสาท ), which reveal two architectural styles: a Thai and a French style in the front area. Here King Narai received foreign dignitaries who were allowed to gather in the front area while the king gave his audiences from a raised window . A bronze plaque below the window is said to commemorate the audience of a French embassy who came to Siam in 1685 to convert King Narai to Christianity.

Inner area

The inner area is located in the western part of the palace grounds. This area is also separated from the other areas by high walls. Are located in a spacious courtyard to the south the ruins of Suttha Sawan Throne Hall (Thai: พระที่นั่ง สุ ท ธา สวรรค์ ), the personal residence of King Narai. The king died here on July 11, 1688 after a long illness.

North of the Dusit Sawan Throne Hall, King Mongkut ( Rama IV. , Reigned 1851–1869) had the Phiman Mongkut Hall (Thai: หมู่ พระที่นั่ง พิมาน มงกุฎ ) built in a European style, where he resided during his visit to Lop Buri.

The Chanatara Phisarn Throne Hall (Thai: พระที่นั่ง จันทร พิศาล ) is right next to Phiman Mongkut . It was built by King Narai and is modeled on a Thai temple. It was built on the foundations of an older building that probably belonged to King Ramesuan's palace when he was the Uparat of King U Thong in Lop Buri. King Narai set up an audience hall here where his advisors could gather. King Mongkut had the Chanthara Phisan Hall restored.

use

The Phra Narai Ratchaniwet served King Narai as a second residence next to the Wang Luang in Ayutthaya , and at times he even moved his capital to Lop Buri. After his death in 1688, the buildings were no longer used officially and gradually collapsed until King Mongkut took them on and had them restored. The present name "Phra Narai Ratchaniwet" was given to the palace by King Mongkut.

Impressions

  • Phra Chao Hao Hall

  • Phiman Mongkut Hall

  • Bronze plaque: Audience of the French ambassadors with King Narai

  • Phra Pratiab building, King Mongut's inner area

Attractions

The buildings, which were rebuilt and renovated by King Mongkut, now house the Somdet Phra Narai National Museum (Thai: พิพิธภัณฑ์ สถาน แห่ง ชาติ สมเด็จ พระ นา ราย ). On October 11, 1924, the Chantarapisarn Pavilion was opened by Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and Prince Narisaranuwatiwong as the "Lop Buri Museum". Later, in 1961, the museum got its current name.

The centrally arranged Phiman Mongkut Hall today shows prehistoric finds from the Lop Buri region and other parts of the country, works of art from the Lop Buri art period and, on the top floor, an exhibition with personal objects from the property of King Mongkut. In the Chanthara Phisan Hall, life at the court of King Narai is shown in an exhibition. In the inner palace area behind these two halls there is another, somewhat smaller museum in the Phra Pratiab buildings, which has exhibited valuable ceramics and porcelain .

swell

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

Web links

Commons : Narai Ratchaniwet  - collection of images, videos and audio files


Coordinates: 14 ° 47 ′ 59 ″  N , 100 ° 36 ′ 36 ″  E