| An elaborate wrought
iron gate and fence surrounds the well- kept lawn and garden
with its trimmed shrubs. Sprinklers keep the garden green
and moist even in the sizzling April heat.
Built in 1907 by King Chulalongkorn, the Ananda Samakhom
Throne Hall was only completed in 1915, during the reign of
King Vajiravudh or King Rama VI.
Designed by Italian architects and engineers and decorated
by Italian artists, the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall covers
an area of 5,600 sq m or about 1.4 acres! The striking features
of this architectural masterpiece by Mario Tamayo and Annibale
Rigotti are the central dome with six smaller domes, reminiscent
of historical buildings in Europe.
The entrance to the throne hall has sculptures on a lintel
over the archway and an ornate gate of gold leading to a grand
foyer with marble walls and flooring with plush carpets. Stairs
wind up on either side of the foyer to the main throne room.
Feel the awe-inspiring experience of just standing in the
main throne hall, with the throne and two multi-tiered royal
umbrellas, under the huge 40 m high central dome.
Intricate murals of the first six kings of the Chakri dynasty
are on the walls of the domes with scenes characterizing each
king: King Rama I known for his military prowess, Kings Rama
II and Rama III for their contribution to art and literature,
King Rama IV for his piety, King Rama V for his far-reaching
reforms and King Rama VI, the builder under whose reign the
throne hall was completed.
The inner hall behind the throne is cavernous with beautiful
murals and sculptures. Though the architecture and décor
are distinctly Italian, the paintings are a blend of Thai
and European scenes, the work of Italian masters Professor
Galileo Chini and C. Riguli.
On leaving the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall down another stairway,
the visitor ends up in a different room from the one he entered.
By then, he would have walked the entire length of the throne
hall, a little over 100m! An impressive and memorable experience.
Entry to the Ananda Samakhon Throne Hall is through the east
gate of Dusit Garden. Admission fee is 50 baht.
The throne hall is opened every day except on Chulalongkorn
Day (23 October) the King's birthday (05 December) and the
Queen's birthday (12 August).
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