The Grand Palace In 1782 the new King decided to move the capital city to the left bank of the Chao Phraya River for strategic purposes and used the canals to the west as defenses for the new city. A palace was constructed whose grounds currently covers an area of 218,000 square metres that are enclosed by crenallated walls measuring 19,000 metres. Similar to palaces in the former capitals of Sukhothai and Ayudhaya this palace is also laid out with Halls of Residence and Throne Halls as well as administrative buildings and a temple that serves as the Chapel Royal. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (The Chapel Royal) The Temple that is located to the northeast of the Front Court has a cloister that serves as a boundary wall to enclose all the structures indicative of a Buddhist monastery but was constructed with no living quarters as Buddhist monks do not reside in this Temple. Rama I installed the Emerald Buddha in the Chapel Royal and conferred the temple name as Wat Phra Sri Rattanasasadaram that can be translated as the Temple of the Auspicious Buddha image that is crafted from a precious stone. The temple is also colloquially called Wat Phra Kaew as ‘Rattana’ is Sanskrit for precious stone in reference to the Emerald Buddha. Twelve sala or pavilions with marble bases are placed to the north and south and are parallel to the Phra Ubosoth (Convocation Hall) for the faithful to sit and listen to sermons on Buddhist holy days or to chant rhyming stanzas on special occasions of the Buddhist calendar.
