Grand Palace - Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

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Ask anyone who has been to Bangkok what their 'must see' list of Bangkok and without fail they'll include The Grand Palace.
Admission to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Central Court of the Grand Palace is 300 Baht (300.00 THB). Note that the admission fee also includes an admission ticket to Vimanmek Mansion that can be used within seven days of your Grand Palace visit.
The Grand Palace is open every day from 8:30 to 3:30, unless its being used for a state function.

There is a strict dress code for visiting the Grand Palace.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is Thailand's most sacred site. Visitors must be properly dressed before being allowed entry to the temple. Men must wear long pants and shirts with sleeves -- no tank tops. If you're wearing sandals or flip-flops you must wear socks (in other words, no bare feet.) Women must be similarly modestly dressed. No see-through clothes, bare shoulders, etc. If you show up at the front gate improperly dressed, there is a booth near the entry that can provide clothes to cover you up properly. You must leave your passport or credit card as security.

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Each time we are in Bangkok, we visit “The Grand Palace”. Each time it remains impressive. For us this is the most interesting site of Bangkok to visit. The Palace was build by King Rama I in 1782. It served as royal residence and government offices.

Link:
http://filipdemuinck-kristelpardon.blogspot.com/2009/10/het-koninklijk-paleis-grand-palace.html

King Rama I built the Dusit Maha Prasat as a replacement for the earlier wooden Phra Thinang Amarintharapisek Maha Prasat which burned down in 1790. King Rama I intended that the present building be used for his own Lying-in-State as it has the same height and dimensions as the Phra Thinang Suriyamarin at Ayutthaya, the customary hall for the Lying-in-State of Ayutthaya kings. Thus the principle function of the Dusit Maha Prasat has been and still is a Hall for Lying-in-State of kings, queens and honoured members of the royal family.

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The Chakri Maha Prasat Hall was built and resided in by King Chulalongkorn, Rama V (1868-1910). Only the reception portion is now used, consisting of two wings for reception purposes decorated with galleries of portraiture. In between is the central throne-hall now used for various purposes and formerly for the reception of foreign envoys on the occasions of the presentation of their credentials. It is aptly decorated with four canvasses of diplomatic receptions.

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This consists of three main buildings, namely the Audience Hall of Amarin Winitchai, where ceremonies of the Court usually take place in front of the throne surmounted by its canopy of nine tiers of white cloth and backed by a boat shaped altar fronting the door leading in to the inner chambers; Paisal Taksin Hall where the coronation of a monarch takes place with its coronation chair and the octagonal seat where the monarch receives the people's invitation to rule; and the Chakrapat Phiman building which was the residence of King Rama I, Rama II and Rama III. It has subsequently become customary for the sovereign to pass at least one night there after the coronation to signify his taking up official residence.

Built in the western style in 1903 by King Rama V for the Heir Apparent, the future King Rama VI, this mansion was also used at various times as a royal residence by King Rama VII (1925-1935), King Rama VIII (1935-1946), and the present King Rama IX. At present the Borom Phiman Mansion serves as the Royal Guest House for visiting Heads of State and guests of Their Majesties.

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Also known as the “Eight Prangs”, the form of a Thai Prang (tower) derives from the Khmer prasat, but whereas a prasat is “a residence of a king or a god,” a prang has the same function as a chedi. The “Eight Prangs” are of different colours. Each one is dedicated to a certain Buddhist concept, as follows:

White: The Buddha Sakayamuni
Purplish Blue: The Teaching of the Buddha
Pink: The Community of Buddhist Monks
Green : The Buddhist Female Monks
Purple: One who has attained nirvana but who is not able to preach the knowledge to men
Dark Blue: The Universal Monarchs
Red: The Buddha in his Former Lives
Yellow: The Buddha Maitreya, the Future Buddha

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The wall surrounding the temple area – from the outside only a plain white wall – is painted with scenes from the Thai version of the Ramayana mythology, the Ramakian. Several statues in the temple area resemble figures from this story, most notably the giants (yak), five-meter high statues. Also originating from the Ramayana are the monkey kings and giants which surround the golden chedis.