12 Best Sights in The Old City, Bangkok

This is one of Bangkok's most revered spots and one of its most visited. King Rama I built this walled city in 1782, when he moved the capital across the river from Thonburi. The palace and adjoining structures only got more opulent as subsequent monarchs added their own touches. The grounds are open to visitors, but the buildings are not. They're used only for state occasions and royal ceremonies. On rare occasions, rooms in the Chakri Maha Prasat Palace—considered the official residence of the king, even though he does not live there—are sometimes open to visitors. Admission to the complex includes entrance to Dusit Palace Park. Note, proper attire (no flip flops, shorts, or bare shoulders or midriffs) is required; if you forget, you will be loaned unflattering but more demure shirts and shoes at the entrance (deposit required). You can buy tickets online.

The city's largest wat has what is perhaps the most majestic representation of the Buddha in Bangkok. The 150-foot reclining Buddha---carved from brick and stucco, then covered with black lacquer and a final layer of gold---is so large it fills an entire viharn. Especially noteworthy are the mammoth statue's 10-foot feet, with the 108 auspicious signs of the Buddha inlaid in mother-of-pearl. Behind the viharn holding the Reclining Buddha is Bangkok's oldest open university. A century before Bangkok was established as the capital, a monastery was founded here to teach traditional medicine. Around the walls are marble plaques inscribed with formulas for herbal cures, and stone sculptures squat in various postures demonstrating techniques for relieving pain. The monks still practice ancient cures, and the massage school (now outside the temple grounds on a nearby street, though massages are still available in the temple) is world-famous. Thai massages (which can actually be painful, though therapeutic) cost around B400 for 1 hour. Appointments aren't necessary—you usually won't have to wait long if you just show up. Massage therapy courses of up to 200 hours are also available at the school.

This is the most sacred temple in the kingdom, and no other wat in Thailand is so ornate or so embellished with glittering gold. As you enter the compound, take note of the 20-foot-tall statues of fearsome creatures in traditional battle attire standing guard. Turn right as you enter the compound, where the inner walls are covered with colorful murals depicting Thailand's national epic the Ramakien, a Thai version of India's Ramayana. Several kinnaree (half-woman, half-lion creatures) stand guard outside the main chapel, which has a gilded three-tier roof. Inside sits the Emerald Buddha. This most venerated image of Lord Buddha is carved from a single piece of green jasper 26 inches high.

Established in a former royal palace built in 1887, the National Museum is the best place to acquaint yourself with Thai history. It holds one of the world's best collections of Southeast Asian art and artifacts, beginning with ceramic utensils and bronzeware from northeastern Thailand's Ban Chiang culture (2000–900 BC). Most of the masterpieces from the northern provinces are displayed here, not in museums there.

Free guided tours in English take place on Wednesday and Thursday, usually at 9:30 am.

Somewhat in the shadow of grander nearby attractions like the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, this shrine is one of the most historically and culturally significant sites in the city. Just east of the Grand Palace compound, the City Pillar Shrine contains the foundation stone (Lak Muang) from which all distances in Thailand are measured. The stone is believed to be inhabited by a spirit that guards the well-being of Bangkok. The shrine is free to enter and frequented by locals who come here to pray, so behave and dress respectfully (knees and shoulders should be covered).

One of Bangkok's biggest and best-known landmarks, this monument anchors a large traffic circle three blocks from the eastern end of Khao San Road. Not frequented much by tourists, it commemorates the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Thailand in 1932.

Originally built by King Rama I in 1784, this towering 27-meter (88-foot) wood structure has a great backstory but today it is just a random photo op. If you find yourself posing in front of it, or just walking by, know that it was once used in Hindu ceremonies where teams of men would launch themselves into the air and catch gold coins with their teeth, slingshotting them to good fortunes on heaven and Earth. The competitions were banned in 1935 after several fell to untimely deaths.

Although it doesn't get nearly as much attention as the National Museum, the National Gallery has a permanent collection of modern and traditional Thai art that is worth seeking out. There are also frequent temporary shows from around the country and abroad. To get to the gallery, walk down Na Phra That Road, past the National Theater and toward the river. Go under the bridge, then turn right and walk about 200 meters (650 feet); the gallery is on your left. The building used to house the royal mint.

Within the Grand Palace complex, in the old Ministry of Finance building, this interesting little museum tells the story of Thai silk through a lovely display of Queen Sirikit's most celebrated outfits. There are daily silk-making demonstrations and a particularly good gift shop with other handicrafts as well as textiles.

A well-known landmark, the towering gold stupa of Wat Saket, also known as the Golden Mount, was once the highest point in the city. King Rama III began construction of this temple, but it wasn't completed until the reign of Rama V. On a clear day the view from the top is magnificent. Every November, during the Loy Kratong festival, the temple hosts a popular fair with food stalls and performances.

To reach the gilded chedi you must ascend an exhausting 318 steps, so don't attempt the climb on a hot afternoon.

Built between the reigns of kings Rama I and Rama III, this highly venerated royal temple houses Thailand's largest surviving Sukhothai-period bronze Buddha, along with intensely colored murals depicting scenes from Buddhist mythology. The ashes of Rama VIII (Ananda Mahidol) are interred in the base of the huge Buddha.