10 CITIES UNDER ZOOM ASEAN EXCEPTIONAL URBAN HERITAGE 10 CITIES UNDER ZOOM ASEAN EXCEPTIONAL URBAN HERITAGE 10 Cities Under Zoom
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ASEAN EXCEPTIONAL URBAN HERITAGE 10 CITIES UNDER ZOOM ASEAN EXCEPTIONAL URBAN HERITAGE 10 CITIES UNDER ZOOM ASEAN EXCEPTIONAL URBAN HERITAGE 10 Cities Under Zoom At crossroads of cultres, Southeast Asia has been from start an atractve In the Philippines, three centries of Spanish rules were broken by a land to explore in modern tmes. At the confluences of two major Asian revoluton for independence by local Filipinos. However, the revoluton was civilisatons, China and India, the region has seen in its ancient history the rapidly overruled by a war between Spain and the United States which finally development of Hindu and Buddhist Kingdoms Southeast Asia atracted as concluded into Spain ceding the Philippines to the USA in 1898 followed by early as the 7th centry the first traders along the famed Silk Road. a new war between the Philippines and the USA and the victory of US troops Traders came from the Arabic Peninsula through Central Asia and the Indian in 1902. sub-contnent in parallel to the first Chinese traders. They generally blended These waves of immigrants and foreigners have lef their mark in the region. easily with local populatons. At the start of the 12th centry, the first local Gastronomy, religious practces, languages, the way to dress or even kingdoms converted to Islam with more Kingdoms adoptng the new faith in festvals all bear in some ways the various influences and identtes of people the 13th centry. who have setled over centries in the region. But not only this. Architectre The next wave of foreigners arriving into the area would have also lastng is also a very strong benchmark as it is ofen considered a mark of power. consequences on the polical and socio-economic evoluton of the In former colonial empires, architectre was indeed the most visible symbol region. In the 16th centry, the first groups of Europeans reached the coasts of the colonial influence. In the years afer independence, new governments of Southeast Asia. They were not only traders but also conquerors. The across all of Southeast Asia looked at giving a proud identt to their country Spanish term of “Conquistador” has been widely used across all languages through architectral masterpieces. to generally describe European soldiers – coming first from Portgal and Cies such as Yangon, Singapore or Georgetown exulted a sort of “Brishness” Spain- who ofen used violence to establish their power. They also helped through imposing structres, from Government’s ofces and residences to spreading Christani in the region through missionaries. Ports trned into churches or museums. French did the same in Indochina, even transforming the base to spread Christani. Hanoi to trn it into the Indochinese pendant of Paris; Intramuros in Manila, The colonialisaton of Southeast Asia was generally motvated by trade, the old Batavia area (the district of ‘Kota’ in today Jakarta) or Bandung in especially for spices -pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon - followed Indonesia have a distnctve European atmosphere. later by textles and finally primary resources, such as, wood, rubber and tn. What about Thailand? The Kingdom did not escape the craze for European The Portguese were the first Europeans in the region, arriving in the Sultanate architectre. King Rama V and King Rama VI asked European architects- of Malacca as early as 1511. They were however chased away by two emerging mostly from Italy but also from Austria, Britain or Germany- to transform marime superpowers, Spain and Holland. The first took over the Philippines in Bangkok into a modern metropolis- meaning at that tme to become 1599 and the second started to spread into Java, Indonesia in 1619. European. Wars for trade influence grew further as Brish and French started to look at This Heritage Trail is not really a circuit as the three precedent ASEAN Heritage Southeast Asia. Britain established its first trading post in 1786 in Penang and Trails. It is more a tribute to 10 urban setlements which can be considered in Singapore in 1819. In 1824, the Brish Army setled in Rangoon, Burma with remarkable for their unique architectral and historical value. That means three Anglo-Burmese Wars giving to Britain the total control of the country that this trail does not necessarily look at well-established architectral by 1886. In 1862, Vietnam gave three provinces to France, paving the way to treasures such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Borobudur the establishment of the first French colony of Cochinchina in 1864. The rest in Indonesia or Ayuthaya and Sukhothai in Thailand. It looks more at the of Vietnam territory and then Cambodia and Laos would then form at the end uniqueness of a ci from its urban atmosphere and its architectral layout. of the 19th centry. It also helps to highlight and give a new identt to secondary destnatons- Siam escaped colonisaton with the Siamese monarchs negotatng with ofen neglected by tourists and potental travellers. the surrounding colonial powers for the integri of Siam in retrn for trade This trail is just another way to show that urban destnatons –even for cies as agreements and exchange of territories. However, European influence gained famous as Bangkok and Singapore, stll will delight visitors (including retrning ground in Siam as the Thai monarchs partcularly King Rama IV, Rama V the travellers) through hidden treasures of architectre. Each ci's portrait is just Great and in some ways, King Rama VI - embarked into the modernisaton of here to give tourists a glimpse into a fabulous history and encourage them to the Siamese societ and economy. explore 10 ASEAN urban destnatons with exceptonal heritage. 2 Introduction | 3 ASEAN EXCEPTIONAL URBAN HERITAGE THAILAND 10 top not to be Missed 5 LA DOLCE VITA IN BANGKOK DUSIT DISTRICT Did you once wondered why in the old part of Bangkok, they are so many European-stle looking buildings? In the late 19th centry and at the beginning of the 20th centry, Siamese monarchs had a strong desire to modernize Bangkok and show to the world that the ci was on pair with its counterparts all across Asia. King Rama V the Great and King Rama VI invited then a dozens of Italian architects and engineers but also some Austrian, Brish and German to come to build up the Thai capital. For a few decades, the Royal Public Works Department was headed by Italian people, mostly originated from Turin. The architects hosted by the Kingdom gave to Bangkok a unique heritage of European buildings mostly inspired by the Italian Renaissance or Baroque tme. Constructons included palaces for the Royal family and noble people but also rail statons, bridges, ofces for ministries and public instttons or even temples, churches and schools. They are probably close to 200 structres today bearing a distnctve Italian Heritage around town. This European stle was so much in vogue that rich merchants and public servants 1 replicated the stle with ofen grand Italian looking structres. It is not rare when walking around Bangkok –partcularly along the Chao Praya River- to bump into a house with distnctve European featres. 1 Marble Temple (Wat Benchamabophit) Bangkok, THAILAND The passion for European architectre by the Siamese Monarchy shapes Built exclusively with lavish Carrara marble, Wat Benchamabophit looks so Bangkok in a unique way. In contrary to other large cies in Asia such as Thai from the first sight. But is it really? Commissioned by King Rama V the Hanoi, Jakarta, Rangoon or Singapore, European architectre of Bangkok Great in 1899, the temple was conceived by Prince Narisara Nuvadtvongs, was not impose by a foreign power but came from the will of Siamese kings. a half-brother of the King, and designed by Italian engineer and architect The Thai capital can consequently claim to be the only ci in Southeast Carlo Allegri and Mario Tamagno. Both worked at that tme for the Public Asia with a comprehensive Italian heritage, which is stll visible mostly in Works Department. While the temple with its gables and five-tered roof and the districts of Dusit, Phra Nakhon and Bang Rak- all of them shaping the its ornaments has a distnctve Thai stle, the cruciform shape of the temple, historical part of the town. For Bangkok travellers, this represents a great the floor tles and the stained glass windows are tpically Italian. Behind the opportni to explore the Dolce Vita side of the Thai capital in the generally temples, the garden contains many Western-stle pavilions as well as the quiet lanes of Dusit! Wat Benchamabophit School, built as a Tuscany mansion. ASEAN EXCEPTIONAL URBAN HERITAGE | 4 THAILAND | 5 4 3 2 Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall Bangkok, THAILAND Only currently visible from a distance for the tme being, the Ananta Samakhom 5 Throne Hall epitomizes the influence of Italy on Thailand. The neo-classical constructon with its dome, its columns and states was built uniquely by 4 Bangkok, THAILAND Italian crafsmen and architects. The marble was imported from Carrara in Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue Italy. The throne hall was commissioned by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V the The majestc avenue goes from Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall passing the Great). Started in 1908, it took seven years to be completed. Nothing was equestrian state of King Rama V and merges afer more than a kilometer beautful enough for the new constructon at that tme. Conceived entrely into Ratchadamnoen Klang avenue. There are many classical Italian stle by Italian architects, engineers and artsts, the structre is made of Carrara buildings along the road such as the Royal Thai Army headquarters, the marble and lavishly decorated with states and columns while giant frescoes Ministry of Educaton or the two palaces inside of Parusakawan Palace ornate the ceilings.