VIMANMEK
ROYAL MANSION
Upon
his returm 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 naned
"The Dusit
Garden" The
first permanent
residence in the
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,
chonbudismantledandrebuilt
in the Dusit garden
under the superbision
of HRH Prince
Narissaranuwaddhiwongse.
The celebrationfor
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
until the completion
of Amporn Satarn
Residence in 1906
where he lived
until his death
in 1910 Vimanmek
Mansion was then
closed down and
members of the
royal family moved
backto 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 and the
Mansion was closed.
King Rama VII
(1925-1934) renovated
the Mansion several
times. For example,
he ordered the
installation of
newelectrical
wires and the
repair of cotumns
of the main pier
at the artificial
lake in the garden.
But staring in
1932, Vimanmekansion
was used only
as a storage place
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
generation. Vimanmek
Mansion is the
world's largest
golden teakwood
mansion with its
elaborate architectural
style refecting
a western influence.
The building has
two right-angled
wings, each wing
60 meters long
and 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
uypper floors
are built of beautiful
golden teakwood.
Altogerher there
are 31 exhibition
rooms, with the
bedrooms, the
throneroom and
the bathrooms
maintaining the
atmosphere of
the Thai past.
Some display rooms
house exhibitions
of Thaiart including
silverware, ceramics,
crystalware, and
ivory. Besides
Vimanmek Mansion
and Amporn Satarn
Residence in the
compound of Dusit
Garden (or Dusit
Palace -as it
was later Rama
V ) , King Rama
and other wives.
He also named
gardens, canals,
gates and roads
after ancient
chinese ceramics
( commonly called
"Khrueng
Kim Tung"),
which were very
popular at the
time. Thus, the
residence that
belonged to to
HRH Srisawarindhira
was named Suan
Hong Residence
( swan Garden
Residence). These
residences located
north of Vimanmek
Mansion Have been
turned into museum
buildings and
a hall for royal
coaches on show
to the public.
REMARK
Museum hours :
09.30 a.m. - 3.15
p.m. every day,
including weekends
and public holidays
