Page 165 - The Royal Coronation Ceremony

The Phra Maha Monthira Group

This name refers to a group of royal buildings, in close proximity to one another. Their distinctive style has
multiple roofs, its tiers telescoping outwards, with decorated pediments featuring undulating nagas on its gableboards,
and chofas at the roof’s apex. In later periods, the roofs of the buildings in the Maha Monthira Group were changed to
the preferred style of each reign, such as in the reigns of King Rama IV and King Rama V.
The Maha Monthira Group of buildings are located in the eastern direction of the central area of the palace
compound. This was the site where King Rama I first built his temporary palace upon assuming the Kingship
and establishing himself as the first King of the Chakri Dynasty in 1782.
The halls and pavilions of Phra Maha Monthira Group were built in 1785, after the Enthronement Ceremony of
King Rama I. The same previous residential area was chosen as the site for the new group of buildings. The group is
composed of three main Throne Halls, two adjoining buildings, Adjoining Left Building or Phra Bharasr Sai, and the
Adjoining Right Building or Phra Bharasr Khwa; and two chambers: the Chamber for Buddha Images, Ho Phra Chao
and Phra Dhat Monthira Reliquary Hall. Originally, these three halls together were called Chakrapat Biman Royal
Residence. But later, in the reign of King Rama III, His Majesty renamed the three throne hall buildings individually, as
the Chakrapat Biman Royal Residence, the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall and the Amarindra Vinijaya Mahaisuraya Biman
Throne Hall. The two adjoining buildings were renamed in the reign of King Rama VI. The Phra Bharasr Khwa was called
the Debbha Sathan Bilas Pavilion and the Phra Bharasr Sai was called the Debbha-At Bilai Pavilion, while the Chamber
for the Buddha Images was named, Sulalai Biman Chapel.
In the former times, the Maha Monthira Group was regarded as the most important place because it was the
residence of the King, the place where the King gave audience to officials when performing administrative work, and
furthermore, it was the place where the ceremonies for the Royal Coronation and the Assumption of the Royal Residence
took place from the time of King Rama II to King Rama IX,

161
The Royal Coronation Ceremony