Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall / Vimanmek Mansion
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MUST SEE, AMAZING, The height of Thai craftsmanship in a european style building.
Entrance to two places The Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and Vimanmek Mansion.
The Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall is a former reception hall within Dusit Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. It is now a museum.
One year after the completion of the Amphorn Satharn Villa within the Dusit Palace in 1906, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) commissioned the construction of a reception hall to replace the one built during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV.).
The building in Italian Renaissance and Neo Classic style was commissioned to the architects Mario Tamagno and Annibale Rigotti. Marble from Carrara, Italy, and other foreign materials were used. Italian sculptor Vittorio Novi, who would later also work on the Mahaiudthit Bridge, was employed with his nephew Rudolfo Nolli.
The Throne Hall is a two storey construction with a large dome (49.5 m high) in the centre, surrounded by six smaller domes. The domes and walls are covered with paintings by Professor Galileo Chini and Carlo Riguli depicting the history of the Chakri Dynasty, from the first to the sixth reign.
King Chulalongkorn died in 1910 and the building was finally completed in 1915.
It was used as the headquarters of the People's Party during the four days of the 1932 Revolution (June 24-27), which transformed the country's political system from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one. The first National People's Assembly convened on June 28, 1932 in this throne hall. After that, it was used as the Parliament House until 1974 when the new Parliament House was opened to the north. However, the old Parliament House is still used for the State Opening of Parliament marking the first assembly in consequence of a general election for the House of Representatives.
Otherwise it is open to the public every day except on Chulalongkorn Day (23 October), the King's birthday (05 December) and the Queen's birthday (12 August).
----- Vimanmek Mansion -----
Upon his return from Europe in 1897, King Rama V (1868-1910) used his personal money to purchase orchards and paddy fields between Padung Krungkasem Canal and Samsen Canal for the construction of a royal garden which he named “ the Dusit Garden “
The first permanent residence in Dusit Garden was Vimanmek Mansion, built in 1900 by royal command of King Rama V. The King had the Munthaturattanaroj Residence in Chuthathujrachathan at Koh Sri Chang, Chonburi, dismantled and rebuilt in the Dusit Garden under the supervision of HRH Prince Narissaranuwaddhiwongse. The celebration for the completion of Vimanmek Mansion was held on March 27,1901.King Rama V then moved his residence from the Grand Palace to stay permanently at Vimanmek Mansion for five years unil the completion of Amporn Satan Residence in 1906 where he live until his death in 1910. Vimanmek Mansion was than closed down and members of the royal family moved back to the Grand Palace.
Near the end of his reign, King Rama VI (1910-1925) gave permission to Her Majesty Indharasaksaji to stay at Vimanmek Mansion. After the King’s death, she moved to stay another residence in Suan Hong compound north of Vimanmek Mansion and the Mansion was closed.
King Rama VII (1925-1934) renovated the Mansion several times. For example, he ordered the installation of new eletrical wires and the repair of columns of the main pier at the artificial lake in the garden. But starting in 1932, Vimanmek Mansion was used only as a storage of the Bureau of the Royal Household.
In 1982, on the auspicious occasion of the Bicentennial Anniversary of Bangkok, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, who had discovered that Vimanmek Mansion, with its elaborate architectural style was still intact, asked permission of His Majesty King Rama IX to renovate the mansion for use as a museum to commemorate King Rama V by displaying his photographs, personal art and handicrafts, and to serve as a showcase of the Thai national heritage for future generations.
Vimanmek Mansion is the world’s largest golden teakwood mansion with its elaborate architectural style reflecting a western influence. The building has two right-angled wings, each wing is 60 meters long and 20 meters high, and is three-storied except for the part where King Rama V resided, which is octagonal and four-storied. Although the ground floor is brick and cement,the upper floors are built of beautiful golden teakwood. Altogether there are 31 exhibition rooms, with the bedrooms, the throne room and bathrooms maintaining the atmosphere of the Thai past. Some display house exhibitions of Thai art including silverware, ceramics,crystal ware, and ivory.
Besides Vimanmek Mansion and Amporn Satarn Residence in the compound of Dusit Garden( or Dusit Palace as it was later renamed by King Rama VI), King Rama V allocated plots of land for the construction of residences for his consort, princesses, and other wives.
He also named gardens, canals, gates and roads after the ancient Chinese ceramics ( commonly called “ Khrueng kim tung” ), which were very popular at the time. Thus, the residence that belonged to H.M. Queen Savang Vadhana, was named Suen Hong Residence (Swan Garden Residence). The residences in Dusit Palace compound have been turned into exhibition buildings and a hall for royal coaches on show to the public.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Zntargvp anab ba haqrearngu bs gbc bs zrgny obk.
OLBC (Oevat lbhe bja cra/crapvy)