 Mahakan Fort, Bangkok
Mahakan Fort is just one of the two remaining fortresses of medieval Bangkok. It is located next to Wat Ratchanatdaram. The area where the king built his palace is called Rattanakosin. To ensure that Rattanakosin is well protected, the king had three rings of defensive canals dug. Placed at strategic location around the canals were 16 gates and 14 forts. The forts are called Phra Sumen, Yukornton, Mahaprab, Mahakan, Mootaluog, Seurtayan, Mahachai, Charkphet, Phisua, Mahaluok, Mahayak, Phrachun, Phra-Ar-Thit and Isintorn. Today only Phra Sumen and Mahakan remain.
Mahakan Fort is octagonal in shape. It is 38 meters wide and 4.9 meters tall. It has three floors with staircases leading to the first two. The highest floor is an octagonal tower with an entrance. In addition to the fort, part of the medieval city wall is still standing today. It runs for some 200 meters along Maha Chai Road. Mahakan Fort marks the second ring canal into Rattanakosin. Here, Khlong Bang Lamphu meets Khlong Ong Ang.
There is a community of squatters that have set up shanty homes along the Khlong Ong Ang canal behind Mahakan Fort. They occupied a 4-rai area which the government wanted to turn into a park similar to Santichaiprakarn Park. The community has protested vehemently against the eviction noticed served on them, claiming that their forefathers had occupied that 100-meter strip of land for the past 150 years. So far, luck appeared to be on their side. The political turmoil that Thailand had been going through had very much put the eviction plans on hold. For more information on the plight of the squatters, read Pom Mahakan: Community Design and Human Rights (external site).
Mahakan Fort was inscribed as a National Ancient Monument of Thailand by the Fine Arts Department in 1949. Under the government of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, lights were installed at the fort to beautify it. The fort appeared on the 10 baht note for a while during the reign of King Rama IX.
Getting there
Mahakan Fort is located to the left of Wat Ratchanatdaram, at the junction of Ratchadamnoen Klang Road and Maha Chai Road. There are no Skytrains to this area, so the most convenient way to get there is by taxi. Ask the taxi to stop along Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, in front of Wat Ratchanatdaram, and visit the temple as well as the fort together, in addition to other nearby sights as listed below.
Nearby Sights
Wat Ratchanatdaram
Wat Suthat
Giang Swing
City Hall
Loha Prasat
Golden Mount
Democracy Monument
Wat Theptidaram
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