Page 83 - A History of the World in 25 Cities

Home to the king and his court, the Grand Palace complex was a mini-city within Bangkok. Materials for the construction were taken from Thon Buri on the other side of the Chao Phraya River and the destroyed old capital city of Ayutthaya.
This impressive palace was modelled on the ancient palace of Ayutthaya, in the destroyed old capital to the north.
Carved from a solid block of green stone, it is claimed that the statue will bring good fortune to whichever kingdom possesses it.
This was the most sacred temple in all of Siam and housed the Emerald Buddha.
The original fortress centre of Bangkok, this artificial island was created by digging a canal across a bend in the river.
An impressive brick city wall was built to protect the
new capital from attack.
This system of natural and human-made waterways was used for transport throughout Bangkok.
Around half of the population in the 1850s were Chinese. This historic market district became the city’s Chinatown.
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