Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall – the Italian masterpiece in Dusit Garden

Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall
the Italian masterpiece in
Dusit Garden

The Italian masterpiece

The Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall is a majestic piece of Italian architecture located at the end of the Royal Plaza, 200 m behind the King Rama V Equestrian Monument.

The throne hall is a massive white structure, topped with a huge dome. The frontage of the throne hall is as wide as the ten-lane avenue leading up to it.

An elaborate wrought iron gate and fence surrounds the well-kept lawn and garden with its trimmed shrubs. Sprinklers keep the garden green and moist even in the sizzling April heat.

Built in 1907 by King Chulalongkorn, the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall was only completed in 1915, during the reign of King Vajiravudh or King Rama VI.

Designed by Italian architects and engineers and decorated by Italian artists, the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall covers an area of 5,600 sq m or about 1.4 acres!

The striking features of this architectural masterpiece by Mario Tamagno and Annibale Rigotti are the central dome with six smaller domes, reminiscent of historical buildings in Europe.

The entrance to the throne hall has sculptures on a lintel over the archway and an ornate gate of gold leading to a grand foyer with marble walls and flooring with plush carpets.

The imported materials included Carrara marble, German copper, Milan granite and Vienese ceramics. Stairs wind up on either side of the foyer to the main throne room.

Feel the awe-inspiring experience of just standing in the main throne hall, with the throne and two multi-tiered royal umbrellas, under the huge 40 m high central dome.

Intricate murals of the first six kings of the Chakri dynasty are on the walls of the domes with scenes characterizing each king:

King Rama I known for his military prowess,

Kings Rama II and Rama III for their contribution to art and literature,

King Rama IV for his piety,

King Rama V for his far-reaching reforms

and King Rama VI, the builder under whose reign the throne hall was completed.

The inner hall behind the throne is cavernous with beautiful murals and sculptures. Though the architecture and décor are distinctly Italian, the paintings are a blend of Thai and European scenes, the work of Italian masters Professor Galileo Chini and Carlo Riguli.

On leaving the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall down another stairway, the visitor ends up in a different room from the one he entered. By then, he would have walked the entire length of the throne hall, a little over 100m! An impressive and memorable experience.

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