No visit to Bangkok is complete without a tour of The Grand Palace, simply because it’s beyond comparison.

Consider the enormity and scale of the site.

Covering over 2.3 million sq ft, its walled, rectangular space has evolved over the course of 200 years…

into a myriad of ornamental buildings,

grand halls,

and gilded pavilions…

surrounded by manicured lawns,

lavish gardens,

and decorative courtyards.

Much more than a royal residence that has housed generations of the Chaki dynasty, it was also the seat of power and governance until the abolition of Thailand’s monarchy in 1932.

Currently, it’s Bangkok’s largest tourist attraction (8 million visitors a year),

although it continues as an important backdrop for ceremonies and state functions, with royal offices still intact.

The Grand Palace is also the site of the Royal Chapel–known as Wat Phra Kaew–

which houses the Emerald Buddha–a 26-inch jade statue cloaked in solid gold and diamonds–which is considered Thailand’s most sacred icon and key to its good fortune and prosperity.

Photography within Wat Phra Kaew is absolutely forbidden,

but then, a photograph exists online with attribution.

Only the King of Thailand is permitted to touch the Emerald Buddha (three times a year in order to change its shroud according to the season).

However, Leah was able to pet the nose of the bronze guardian lion protecting the temple.