 |
| Khao Wang Hill panorama |
Most drivers bypass the city of Phetchaburi on their way from Bangkok to Hua Hin. Yet, everybody will notice the tall hill displaying a few stupas on its top.
 |
| View downhill |
I had wondered many times about this hilltop and the city lying below. I was under the impression that it would be a sleepy town with not much to offer. But each time I drove past, I kept thinking it would be a good idea to see a bit more of Phetchaburi.
Well, I recently did this! Twice even!
First of all, I found out that it is not just a town, but already a large community, having a huge shopping mall and all the modern amenities.
Phetchaburi is the capital of a Thai province bearing the same name as the town. A small river flows through this historic community. The coast of the Gulf of Thailand is only about 20km away.
On a first occasion, Thai friends took me for lunch to a charming Thai restaurant downtown. It was a lovely stilt house made of wood, above the riverbank, and over a hundred years of age. Of course, the food was also delicious and exquisitely prepared.
Phetchaburi is one of Thailand's oldest cities! It was a regional capital of the Khmer Empire in the
13thcentury. During the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods, it served as a commercial hub for the maritime routes to the East as well as to the West.
 |
| Old riverbank house |
But in the early 19thcentury, it became King Mongkut (Rama IV) favorite residence. He built a palace on top of Khao Wang Hill and several other stupas. From one of the palace towers, King Mongkut carried on his astronomical observations. There is an incline that takes passengers to the top of the hill. Sadly enough, the usual Thai discrimination against foreigners applies on the ticket price! It is cooler on the hilltop, where there is a colony of monkeys. It takes a while to explore all the stupas and visit the former monastery at the far end of the hill that offers a strange mix of Thai and Western architecture.
 |
| Add caption |
The town below is crossed by the Phetchaburi River. In the Thai language, Phet means 'diamond', because it is said that a long time ago the river was part of a diamond-trade.
There is also a summer palace, Phra Ram Ratchaniwet, which is now inside a military compound. To access this palace, you must leave an ID at the military post at the entrance. The mansion was designed by a German architect and displays a definite German style.
Downtown, there is a group of several monasteries that are worth a visit. One particular temple has some remarkable wall paintings.
All in all, Phetchaburi is definitively quite an interesting place to visit away from the usual tourist hotspots.
Christian Sorand
 |
| The main entrance to the summer palace |
 |
| Inner yard |
 |
| Staircase cherub |
 |
| Outside garden |
 |
| Hilltop forest |
 |
| Red chedi in the monastery |
 |
| White chedi |
 |
| Thai temple pavillion |
No comments:
Post a Comment