{{Short description|District of Bangkok}} {{redirect|Phra Nakhon}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Phra Nakhon | native_name = พระนคร | native_name_lang = th | settlement_type = [[List of districts of Bangkok|Khet]] | image_skyline = 018-Sao Ching Cha.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = [[Giant Swing]] and [[Wat Suthat]] | image_map = Amphoe 1001.svg | map_caption = District location in [[Bangkok]] | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|13|45|52|N|100|29|57|E|type:adm2nd_region:TH|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = [[Country]] | subdivision_name = Thailand | subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Thailand|Province]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Bangkok]] | subdivision_type2 = Seat | subdivision_name2 = [[Wat Sam Phraya subdistrict|Wat Sam Phraya]] | subdivision_type3 = ''[[Khwaeng]]'' | subdivision_name3 = 12 | established_title = District established | established_date = | leader_title = | leader_name = | area_total_km2 = 5.536 | population_total = 51231<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stat.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/views/showDistrictData.php?rcode=10&statType=1&year=60|title=Population and House Report for Year 2017|publisher=Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Internal Affairs|access-date=2018-04-01|archive-date=2020-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919054929/https://stat.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/views/showDistrictData.php?rcode=10&statType=1&year=60|url-status=dead}} ([http://stat.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/ Search page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912195945/http://stat.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/ |date=2019-09-12 }})</ref> | population_as_of = 2017 | population_density_km2 = 9254.15 | timezone = [[Time in Thailand|ICT]] | utc_offset = +7 | postal_code_type = [[Postal code]] | postal_code = 10200 | geocode = 1001 | website = | footnotes = }} [[File:Map Phra Nakhon src eng.svg|right|200px|thumb|District map]]

'''Phra Nakhon''' ({{langx|th|พระนคร}}, {{IPA|th|pʰráʔ ná(ʔ).kʰɔ̄ːn|pron}}) is one of the [[Districts of Bangkok|50 districts]] (''khet'') of [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]. It is the central district of Bangkok, including [[Rattanakosin Island]]. Neighboring districts are, from the north, clockwise: [[Dusit district|Dusit]], [[Pom Prap Sattru Phai district|Pom Prap Sattru Phai]], [[Samphanthawong district|Samphanthawong]], and across the [[Chao Phraya River]], [[Thon Buri district|Thon Buri]], [[Bangkok Yai district|Bangkok Yai]], [[Bangkok Noi district|Bangkok Noi]], and [[Bang Phlat district|Bang Phlat]].

==Location== The district is bounded by the Chao Phraya River to the west, [[Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem]] in the north, and [[Ratchadamnoen Road]] and [[Khlong Ong Ang]] to the east. The center of Bangkok, marked by the [[Lak Mueang|city pillar shrine]] (''lak mueang''), is in the district. Also surrounding the large open space of the ''[[Sanam Luang]]'' are the [[Grand Palace, Bangkok|Grand Palace]] and [[Wat Phra Kaew]], the [[National Museum Bangkok|National Museum]] in the former palace of the [[Uparat|Vice King]], and the main campus of [[Thammasat University]] as well as [[Silpakorn University]].

Other significant landmarks in the district include [[Wat Pho]], the [[Giant Swing]], [[Wat Suthat Bamrung|Wat Suthat]], [[Wat Ratchanadda]] (with Loha Prasat), and the [[Democracy Monument, Bangkok|Democracy Monument]]. Also the well-known [[Khaosan Road]] is in the district. Another significant temple is [[Wat Bowonniwet]], where several Thai kings were ordained as monks.

Of the original [[Fortifications of Bangkok|14 forts protecting Bangkok]] only two survive. Fort Phra Sumen in the northern corner of the district, and Fort Mahakan in the east. Since 2000 a small park named ''[[Santi Chai Prakan Park|Santichaiphrakarn]]'' around Fort Phra Sumen was built.

[[file:สะพานพระพุทธยอดฟ้า เขตพระนคร กรุงเทพมหานคร (10).jpg|left|thumb|Memorial Bridge]] In 2005 the riverfront of the Phra Nakhon District, from [[Memorial Bridge, Bangkok|King Rama I Bridge (Memorial Bridge)]] in the south to the Wasukri Pier ([[Dusit district]]), was submitted to the [[UNESCO]] for consideration as a future [[world heritage]] site.

Another landmark is [[Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre]] on [[Charoen Krung Road]]. It is Bangkok's oldest [[List of cinemas in Thailand|cinema]] and was the first [[movie theater|air conditioned theater]] in Thailand. Built at the order of King [[Prajadhipok]] and named by him, it opened on 2 July 1933. It is the only theater from the first "golden age" of [[Cinema of Thailand|Thai cinema]] still standing. No longer regularly showing movies, the theater has been renovated and is principally used for [[Thai dance]] performances.<ref>[http://www.discoverythailand.com/Bangkok_Chalermkrung_Royal_Theatre__Sala_Chaloem_Krung_.asp Chalermkrung Royal Theatre (Sala Chaloem Krung) in Bangkok], DiscoveryThailand.com (retrieved 12 August 2006). <!-- This reference link is for verifiability purposes to show that this is not original research. --></ref> Another point of interest is the [[Pak Khlong Talat]] flower market. [[Tha Phra Chan]] is a well-known [[Thai amulets]] market.

The area around [[Phahurat Road]] (พาหุรัด) can be considered Thailand's [[Little India (location)|"Little India"]]. The road was constructed during King [[Chulalongkorn]]'s reign over a century ago and Indian community started to form after that. Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Thailand's first [[sikhism|Sikh]] temple was built in 1933 near the road. The area is well known for Indian fabric shops and Indian cuisine.

==History== Phra Nakhon was once an [[amphoe]] (district) named Chana Songkhram (อำเภอชนะสงคราม). The administration was overhauled on 15 October 1915 when 25 new districts were created for inner Bangkok. On 12 March 1928, six of these districts: Phahurat, Samran Rat, Phra Ratchawang, Chana Songkhram, Sam Yot, and Bang Khun Phrom were merged to form Amphoe Phra Nakhon. It became Khet (district) Phra Nakhon in 1972.

==Festivals== Songkran, the traditional [[Thai New Year]] festival, is celebrated throughout the country from 13 to 15 April of each year. [[Khaosan Road]] (or Khao Sarn Road) in Phra Nakhon district is a notable place to celebrate the event where many people, both locals and tourists, splash water.

During another famous festival, [[Loy Krathong]], on the 15th day of the 12th lunar month, the Chao Phraya River bank in the district, with numerous piers and Phra Sumen Fort, is a popular place to float lanterns on the water.

Ratchadamnoen Avenue is often heavily decorated with lights around the king's birthday (28 July), the queen mother's birthday (12 August), National Day (5 December) and other major anniversaries. [[Sanam Luang]] and recently created Lan Plabpla Maha Chedsada Bodin (ลานพลับพลามหาเจษฎาบดินทร์) in front of [[Wat Ratchanadda]] and its [[Loha Prasat]] are open spaces that frequently used to celebrate events.

==Administration== The district is divided into 12 sub-districts (''[[khwaeng]]''). {| ||1.||[[Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang subdistrict|Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang]]&nbsp;||พระบรมมหาราชวัง&nbsp;|| ||7.||[[Bowon Niwet subdistrict|Bowon Niwet]]||บวรนิเวศ|| |- ||2.||[[Wang Burapha Phirom subdistrict|Wang Burapha Phirom]]||วังบูรพาภิรมย์|| ||8.||[[Talat Yot]]||ตลาดยอด|| |- ||3.||[[Wat Ratchabophit subdistrict|Wat Ratchabophit]]||วัดราชบพิธ|| ||9.||[[Chana Songkhram subdistrict|Chana Songkhram]]||ชนะสงคราม|| |- ||4.||[[Samran Rat]]||สำราญราษฎร์|| ||10.||[[Ban Phan Thom]]||บ้านพานถม|| |- ||5.||[[San Chaopho Suea subdistrict|San Chaopho Suea]]||ศาลเจ้าพ่อเสือ|| ||11.||[[Bang Khun Phrom]]&nbsp;||บางขุนพรหม&nbsp;|| |- ||6.||[[Sao Chingcha subdistrict|Sao Chingcha]]||เสาชิงช้า|| ||12.||[[Wat Sam Phraya subdistrict|Wat Sam Phraya]]||วัดสามพระยา|| |}

==Gallery== <gallery> file:The City Pillar Shrine 6 (2019).jpg|The city pillar shrine (หลักเมือง, Lak Mueang) marks the center of Bangkok image:(2019) พระบรมมหาราชวัง และวัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม 1.jpg|Grand Palace in the corner of Sanam Luang image:Fort Mahakan The day.jpg|[[Fort Mahakan]], one of 14 forts protecting Bangkok image:Gran Palacio, Bangkok, Tailandia, 2013-08-22, DD 22.jpg|[[Kinnari]] statue inside Grand Palace file:0005574 - Wat Phra Kaew 009.jpg|Grand Palace viewed from Thonburi side across Chao Phraya River image:Tourist sign in Bangkok - 2017-01-19 - 002.jpg|Tourist sign installed on the side of Sanam Luang file:10 A -Web results-วัดพระเชตุพนวิมลมังคลารามราชวรมหาวิหาร-1.jpg|Wat Pho file:King Rama III Memorial 1.jpg|King Rama III Memorial on Lan Plabpla Maha Chedsada Bodin (foreground), Wat Ratchanadda with Loha Prasat (background) file:Pakklongtalad.JPG|[[Pak Khlong Talat]], largest flower market in Bangkok and Thailand file:ทุ่งพระเมรุ128.JPG|Sanam Luang </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{commons-inline | 1 = Category:Khet Phra Nakhon | 2 = Phra Nakhon District }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20050702004322/http://www.bma.go.th/bmaeng/phranakhon/ BMA website with the tourist sites of Phra Nakhon] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20051118210108/http://203.155.220.217/pranakorn/ Phra Nakhon district office] (Thai only) * {{cite web|url=https://mgronline.com/travel/detail/9490000057954|script-title=th:ท่อง"พาหุรัด"เที่ยวกระจาย สไตล์ "ลิตเติ้ล อินเดีย"|author=หนุ่มลูกทุ่ง|date=2 May 2006|website=[[ASTV Manager]]|access-date=30 July 2006|language=th|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260501054205/https://mgronline.com/travel/detail/9490000057954|archive-date=1 May 2026|url-status=live}}

{{Khet Bangkok}}

[[Category:Phra Nakhon district| ]] [[Category:Districts of Bangkok]]