Phraram Ratchaniwet: A Palatial Blend of Baroque, Art Nouveau Styling
Nida Tunsuttiwong
Baan Puen Palace, also known as Phraram Ratchaniwet Palace, is an impressive European-style palace located in Phetchaburi province's downtown area. Having been particularly impressed by the building and its surroundings during previous visits, we decided to drop by again recently on the way to the beach in nearby Hua Hin.
Now based within a Royal Thai Army camp, work on the palace got underway in 1910, which sadly turned out to be the final year of the reign of King Chulalongkorn the Great (King Rama V [1869-1910]).
The palace was originally meant to become the monarch's second home in the province since the king's existing palace located there during that period of history - Phra Nakhon Kriri Palace - was built in a mountainous area, so it often encountered a number of difficulties due to heavy rains during the monsoon season.
After purchasing a plot of land located by the Phetchaburi River from some locals, the king invited Karl Siegfried Dohring, a renowned German architect who was also responsible for designing Voradit Palace and Bangkhumprom Palace, to create the new palace in a combination of baroque and art nouveau styles.
The pillar laying ceremony took place in 1910, presided over by King Rama V, and the palace was finally completed in 1918, eight years into the reign of King Rama VI (1910-1925). The sixth Chakri monarch decided at this point in time to drop the name Baan Puen Palace and rename it, while naming the throne hall Phra Thinang Sornphet Prasat. Although the name of the palace was formally changed, many folk have continued up to the present day to refer to the palace as Baan Puen Palace.
Although the building's exterior does not feature the ornate white stucco that became a popular architectural feature during this period of history, the palace does boast long, floor-to-ceiling windows, along with a high-ceilinged vestibule, which contribute greatly to the palace's overall elegance.
The two-story palace building features a simple rectangular layout, including a main building and two wings, which surround a small garden located right at the center of the compound. Although it features some incredibly stunning architectural features, the palace has faced several ups and downs over the years.
A state of flux
Since King Rama VI did not get to visit the palace on a regular basis, the building was transformed into a teacher training school during the reign of King Rama VII (1925-1935).
As the teacher training school grew, it was relocated, leaving the palace unoccupied for a spell. It went on to become an agricultural teacher training college, a boy scout leaders' college, and an elementary school for girls for a short time, only for all these institutions to also be relocated.
During what the Japanese referred to as the Greater East Asia War, which is also known as the Pacific War (part of World War II [1939-1945]), the site of the palace became part of a military headquarters and camp.
Historical insights
These days, the first floor of the palace building is being used to host an exhibition area, which details historical facts about the palace and the province. Several significant rooms are located on this floor, including the throne hall, a reception room, and dining room, which, in terms of design and décor, feature a perfect blend of French and German art nouveau styles.
I was particularly impressed during this particular visit by the building's twin, Baroque-style spiral staircases, which are decorated with dark green tiles. Shaped like the symbol for spades on playing cards when looking up from the base, the staircases' banisters are adorned with glazed dolls holding garlands.
Between the two staircases is a circular-shaped area. The marble floor on the lower part features a motif resembling fish scales, while you can also access a small garden area from here, which once served as the kingdom's first badminton court.
Located on the second floor, the upper part of the circular hall is bathed in natural light thanks to the architect's use of large windows. Some of the columns located further down the hall are covered in embossed copper plate.
Each room within the palace features individual decorative designs in terms of the colors and materials used. For example, the area around the stairways is green, while the dining room is yellow. Several of the rooms feature curvaceous art nouveau steel structures, while others feature colorful glazed tiles.
While there is little in the way of original furniture on display due to the building's often erratic past, the bathrooms feature antique toilet bowls and fittings, along with a marble bathtub. Many visitors find this particularly interesting and tend to take a bit more time to tour this area.
While officially you cannot take photographs inside the building, there are many photo opportunities once you head outside to view the building's impressive exterior. The palace compound is home to a large number of sturdy hardwood trees, such as mahogany, along with a group of weeping figs boasting impressive roots.
The palace opens from Monday through Friday from 8.30 am-4 pm and on weekends during 8.30 am-5 pm. The entrance fee is 20 baht for adults, 10 baht for children, and 50 baht for foreign tourists.
For further information, call Tel: +66 (0)32 428 506-10 (extension 259).
Transport connections:
Car: From Bangkok, take Highway 35 (Thon Buri-Pak Tho) and head in the direction of Samut Songkram province. When you reach the Wang Manao intersection, turn left and head for Highway 4 (Phetkasem Road). You will continue along this road for about 123 kilometers until you reach Phetchaburi province. Once you reach Phra Nakhon Kriri Historical Park (Khao Wang), which is a major landmark on the route to the palace, you will be forced to turn right on to a road that heads towards Cha-am and Hua Hin. After driving for about one kilometer, you will see several lanes and road signs on your left that will lead you to Ramrajanives Military Camp and this wonderful European-style palace.
Credit: TAN Network (www.tannetwork.tv)
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