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 | Bangkok City Pillar Shrine - Lak Muang Reviews | Tips 1 - 6 of 6 |  |
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There's two city pillars in the Lak Muang Shrine. Four if you count the ones outdoors. (Obviously Thailand being ahead of the times deciding to make a back up.) You are asking "What is a City Pillar?" And yes, it is a pillar. But a very old pillar, and not the sort of pillar that I was expecting, an old tree trunk sort of pillar, a very ancient and used pillar in some archeaologist dug up building. Nope; original Thai city pillars were the width of two fists of the important King who set up that particular city. The ones in Bangkok, however, are big and chunky and made of heartwood and must be more than two fists / wrists easy. Essentially, they are blessed columns of wood. Very, very, blessed. And golden.
Of course, they've put a temple / shrine buildings around them now and a superb decorated roof / pavillion. You can touch a replica pillar outside and get your dose of good luck, as so many of the Thais enjoyed doing. I think the coloured ribbons (each signifying a day) are the domain of monks to change.
So think about that when you've got you hands on the mini replicas. Way back in 1782, King Rama I, after he moved to Bangkok from over the river at Thonburi, would have had his hands on the small ones too; on the morning of Sunday, April 21, 1782 at just after 6:45am. Because that was the time the dedication ceremony took place. And in twenty seven years time that will be 250 years ago. Woohoo. (A great excuse to return if you need one.)
And all the distances on road maps to and from Bangkok are calculated from this very sacred spot. (So if you ever see a sign post with a distance to BKK on it, you will know exactly where the other end of the tape measure was held tight. They must do the measuring at night as I've never seen them do it in the daytime.) Leave a Comment Directions: Sanam Chai Road (between Chareon Krung Road and Bam Rung Muang Road) on the north east side of the Grand Palace.
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Bangkok
on September 29, 2004
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