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