SW visits pretty palaces
By Itsarin Tisantia
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
Despite being more than a century old, Ladawan Palace and nearby Suan Sunandha Palace in Bangkok have been preserved in very good condition. Both beautiful palaces can now be visited by members of the public.
This week’s Freeze Frame explores the charms of these historic buildings.
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Ladawan Palace was built in an Italian style with some flourishes from the late Victorian period. The two-storey building is made of bricks and mortar. |
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Within walking distance of Ladawan Palace is Suan Sunandha Palace, which once comprised 32 separate mansions. Only six still remain. The villas were the homes of consorts and daughters of King Rama V, including Princess Sutdhasineenath, Princess Sasipongprapai, Chao Chom Uan and Chao Chom Thaem. |
The prayer room in Ladawan Palace is the only part of the complex which has been left untouched over the years. It boasts a marble floor and an original Chinese-style Buddha armoire. |
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Suan Sunandha Palace houses a statute of Queen Suan Sunandha in remembrance of her and her daughter and unborn baby, all of whom drowned when their boat capsized on the Chao Phraya River in 1880. |
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The first floor of Ladawan Palace is dazzlingly decorated by paintings portraying scenes from the famous Chinese epic, Sam Kok (Three Kingdoms). |
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The Chutharattanaporn Building in Suan Sunandha Palace was formerly the home of Princess Chutharattana Ratchakumari. It is currently being used as a music centre under the supervision of Rajabhat Suan Sunandha University. |
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One of the main entrances to Ladawan Palace, located on Ratchasima Road, is elegantly painted white and violet. |
Exercises
Read through Freeze Frame. Then, specify whether each of the following words is used in the captions as a verb, noun, adverb or adjective.
1. main …………………
2. complex …………………
3. currently …………………
4. boats …………………
Vocabulary
- flourish (n): details and decoration that are used in something
Victorian (adj): connected with the period from 1837 to 1901 when Queen Victoria ruled Britain
mortar (n): a mixture of sand, water, lime and cement used in building for holding bricks and stones together
consort (n): the husband or wife of a ruler
armoire (n): a cupboard with drawers or shelves underneath, especially one that has a lot of decoration
