Chankasem
Palace
Chankasem,
or Front Palace, on the banks of the Pasak River, is one of
three important palaces built in Ayutthaya. The palace was
built during the reign of King Maha Thammaraja, the 17th king
of Ayutthaya, as a residence for his son, King Naresuan. Like
the other palaces, Chankasem was completely destroyed by the
Burmese during the sack of Ayutthaya in 1767. The present
palace was re-built by King Rama IV at the end of the 19th
century for use as a residence during his visits to Ayutthaya.
Nowadays,
Chankasem Palace is used as a museum. Interesting elements
include:
City
Wall and Gate: Built by command of King Rama IV. Excavations
at the site show that the original area was much more spacious
than the present extent of the palace.
Phlapphla
Chaturamuk: The original residence of King Mongkut during
his visits to Ayutthaya. The wooden four-gabled pavilion is
near the palace's eastern gate.
Phiman
Rattaya Hall: This group of buildings within the main
palace compound originally served as government offices and
the Provincial Administration seat.
Phisai
Sanyalak Hall: Close to the western perimeter of the palace,
King Mongkut used this four-storey tower for his astronomical
observations. The hall now houses a collection of antique
objects, Buddha images, sculptures, votive tablets and some
personal possessions of King Mongkut. The museum is open daily
except Mondays, Tuesdays and national holidays, from 9.00
am to 4.00 pm.
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