Dusit Palace

The palace covers an area of over 64,749 square metres (696,950 sq ft) and is dotted between gardens and lawns with 13 different royal residences.

Since 1782 and the foundation of Bangkok as the capital city of the Kingdom of Siam, the monarchs of the Chakri dynasty have resided at the Grand Palace by the Chao Phraya River.

The palace became the focal point of the city as well as a seat of the royal government and the home of the king and his court (his children and his polygamous household).

The king, who enjoyed taking long walks for exercise and pleasure, often felt unwell after prolonged stays inside the Grand Palace.

In 1890s, plans for a permanent set of residences were drawn up and construction began under the supervision of Prince Narisara Nuvadtivongs (the king's brother) and C. Sandreczki (a German architect, responsible for the Boromphiman Palace).

When it became clear that Chulalongkorn preferred to stay in the garden, with only occasional visits to the Grand Palace for state and royal ceremonies, the name was changed to Wang Dusit meaning 'celestial dwelling'.

The construction of both Dusit Palace and Ratchadamnoen Avenue allowed and encouraged the expansion of Bangkok outside its city walls and the traditional confines of the Rattanakosin area.

This included the Khao Din Wana (เขาดินวนา) to the east of the palace, which was given in 1938 to the Bangkok City Municipality by King Ananda Mahidol to create a public park, which later became Dusit Zoo.

When King Bhumibol Adulyadej returned from his studies to Thailand in 1952 he made the Chitralada Royal Villa his main residence and had it renovated.

The king granted a plot of land on Dusit Palace grounds immediately north of the Throne Hall for the building of a new Parliament House of Thailand.

The gardens are connected by gates with names drawn from motifs on blue and white Chinese porcelain ware, which the king picked out himself.