The kings that once ruled vast swaths of the countries bordering the Mekong were absolute masters of their realms: their laws, wars and cultural decisions formed the local cultures that still hold sway, long after their founding dynasties left the stage. Many left behind palace ruins that were reconstructed: their present-day palace replicas can only faintly echo the glory days, though they provide a keen insight of the way the Mekong was run way back when.
Consider the Mufu Wood Mansion in Yunnan, China: a reconstruction of an ancient palace built by the Mu regents who ruled over the area in place of the Emperors in Beijing. The original building complex included about 100 buildings, and covered 16 acres. The present-day palace was completed in 1999, and covers half the original footprint.
Despite its more recent vintage, the Wood Mansion does a good job of recreating the majesty of the original: it resurrects building styles dating back from the Ming and Qing Empires, with Naxi decor that stays true to the local spirit. Tourists can walk around the palace halls, and drink tea in one of the Mansion’s courtyards. At a Taoist temple on the grounds, you can have your fortune told for a fee.
Kanbawzathadi Palace in Bago , Myanmar, Photo by Boyloso
In Myanmar, the Kanbawzathadi Palace in Bago is also a muted replica of the original: the original palace was built in 1556, and consisted of 76 apartments and halls. King Bayinnaung (one of the three great Kings of Burmese history) had the palace built for himself, but his successors were not as lucky. The original palace was burned to the ground in 1599; today’s replica was completed in 1992.
The few halls that have been reconstructed capture some of the majesty of the original: tourists can visit the Royal Lion Throne Hall and the Bhammayarthana Throne Hall, both created based on original drawings and excavations. A reproduction of the King’s golden coach, decorated with two peacocks and a Pyatthat style roof, takes pride of place – much of the original treasures in the palace were lost in the 1599 conflagration. (The Lion Throne that originally stood the Lion Throne Hall can now be found Yangon museum.)
A separate Nandawya Museum displays the actual artifacts found around the palace grounds, including teak pillars dating back to the 16th century, rusted swords, Buddha images, and some very old coins. As of January 2022, admission to the palace now costs MMK 1,000 (about $.0.50).
Finally, Thailand’s Bang Pa-In Palace completely replaces an ancient palace built on these grounds with stately mansions of European design. The look and feel of the palace retains the sensibility of the man who designed it, the modernizing King Chulalongkorn.
Bang Pa-In was built in Ayutthaya, on the side of a 17th century palace built by King Prasat Thong. After the site was abandoned from the 18th to 19th centuries, a renewal effort created most of the buildings on the site from 1872 to 1889.
King Chulalongkorn took inspiration from the royal palaces he’d seen on his trips to Europe; this resulted in buildings like Varopat Piman Hall with its Corinthian columns; Uthayan Phumisatian Residential Hall, built in Swiss Chalet style; and the marble obelisks that commemorate the loss of royal loved ones. The palace grounds are open daily from 8am to 4pm; entrance fee is THB 100 ($2.60) for non-Thais.