The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in Bangkok which served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. The palace has an area of 218,400 sq. meters and is surrounded by walls totaling 1900 meters in length. Within these walls are erstwhile government offices, Royal Residence, Emerald Buddha, and the state departments. In short it was the heart of Bangkok and continues to be revered amongst the locals.

The palace complex is situated on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. This complex houses one of the most famous Bangkok temples called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Kaew in Thai. This was the first temple to be built during the Rattanakosin era from 1782 – 1784 during the reign of King Rama I and houses the extremely famous Emerald Buddha statue.

The Emerald Buddha is a figurine of the sitting Buddha, made of green jade (not of Emerald), clothed in gold, and about 45 cm tall. The history of Emerald Buddha dates back to 2000 years and its origin can be traced back to Patliputra or Patna of Today, where it was apparently created in 43 BC. The legends state that after remaining in Patliputra for three hundred years, it was taken to Sri Lanka to save it from a civil war. In 457, King Aniruth of Burma sent a mission to Ceylon to ask for Buddhist scriptures and the Emerald Buddha, in order to support Buddhism in his country. These requests were granted, but the ship lost its way in a storm during the return voyage and landed in Cambodia. When the Thais captured Angkor Wat, the Emerald Buddha went to Ayutthaya, Kamphaeng Phet, Laos and finally Chiang Rai, where it surfaced in the 15th Century.

The architecture, grandiosity, and popularity make the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew ( Wat means "Temple" in Thai language) a must see spot for tourists. Without it, your trip of Bangkok is just not complete.