HISTOROY OF ARCHITECTURE

• Siam


  Name came from a Sanskrit word meaning 'dark or brown', in reference to the skin color of the native people
• Reforms transformed the country from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy

  1932
• Thailand


  Name changed from Siam in 1939

  
• Total Land Boundary: 4,863km
• Borders

  • North - Laos and Myanmar
  • East - Laos and Cambodia
  • South - Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia
  • West - Andaman Sea and Myanmar

  
• During WWII, Thailand was allied with Japan, so technically it was never conquered
• Buddhist temples in Thailand

  • Characterized by tall golden stupas
  • Monks are some of the most highly respected people in Thai society
• Islam


  • Said to have been introduced to the Malay Peninsula by Arab traders and adventures during the 13th century
  • Muslims comprise Thailand's largest religious minority and are concentrated mainly in the southernmost provinces
• Architectural character


  • Reflects Buddhist influence
  • Use of stone instead of traditional brick & rubble
  • Interiors: sculpture & mural painting
  • Ornamentation: Chinese characters
  • Surfaces finished with porcelain tiles
  • Walls: white, stuccoed brick
  • Roofs: highly colored, glazed tiles; multi-level overlapping roofs
  • Gable & barge boards decorated with Hindu-Angkor iconography e.g. nagas; Vishnu in a garuda; Siva on a bull
  • Door & window shutters: of carved wood lacquered in black & gold & inlaid with mother–of-pearl themes of guardian divinities, enchanted forests, ferns & flowers, & still life

  
• Wat


  • Thai Temple
  • A group of buildings each serving various purposes and usually set within a wall enclosure

  
• Parts of a Wat


  • The Bot
  • Bai Semas
  • The Chedi
  • Wihan
  • The Mondop
  • The Bodhi Tree
  • The Cloister
  • Living quarters and dormitories of Monks
  • The Sanghawat
  • The Ho Rakangs
  • The Minor Salas
  • The Ho Trai
• Wat Ku Kut Temple (aka Wat Chama Thewi, Lempun) is named after Queen Chama Thewi, who founded Lempun in the 8th Century
• Wat Ku Kut Temple has the oldest structures in North Thailand

  
• The most interesting and significant structures of Wat Ku Kut are the Suwannad Chang Kot Chedi and Ratana Chedi
• Chedi


  • A buddhist monument or Shrine
  • At every step of the Chedi, there are niches that contain a Buddha image

  
• Royal architecture


  • Typically a mixture of Thai Wat, traditional house style and western architecture
  • Teak wood

  
• The Bangkok Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew Temple construction began on May 6, 1782 at the order of King Rama I

  
• The Grand Palace complex covers an area of 218,400 sq. m. and is rectangular in shape
• Quarters of the Grand Palace


  • Temple of Emerald Buddha
  • Outer Court
  • Middle Court (Phra Maha Monthein Buildings, Phra Maha Prasat Buildings, Chakri Maha Prasat Buildings)
  • Inner court

  
• Temple of the Emerald Buddha


  • Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram
  • A royal chapel
  • Surrounded on four sides by a series of walled cloiseters with seven gates
  • Strictly adheres to Thai classical architecture

  
• Outer Court


  • Khet Phra Racha Than Chan Nork
  • Situated to the Northwest of the palace
  • Headquarters and information center of the Grand Place and the Bureau of the Royal Household
  • Seat of the royal government
  • Housed Sala Sahathai Samakhom and Sala Luk Khun Nai
• Middle Court


  • Largest and most important court
  • Central part of the Grand Palace fronted by Amornwithi Road
  • Divided into three groups of throne halls
  • All buildings faces north and arranged from front to back: Public Reception Hall (front), Ceremonial Halls (middle), Residential Halls (back)
• Inner Court

  • Khet Phra Racha Than Chan Nai (Fai Nai)
  • Reserved exclusively for use of the King and his harem
  • Southernmost part of the Grand Palace Complex
  • Once populated by small low-lying structures surrounded by gardens, lawns and ponds