A HOUSE BY THE RIVER

Ban Chakrabongse

Description

The Italianate villa, Chakrabongse House was built almost 120 years ago on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River with magnificent views to Wat Kalaya, the Wichai Prasit Fort and Wat Arun.

It was commissioned by Prince Chakrabongse and his wife Katya as a private retreat from their main residence Paruskavan Palace. Designed by Turin-born architect Mario Tamagno, the tall villa with its beautiful teak staircase and panelling has accumulated paintings and works of art from three generations of the Chakrabongse family.

Prince Chula who inherited the house after the sudden death of his father in 1920 never lived here full time. Educated in England, the prince’s plans to spend more time in Bangkok were foiled by the Second World War. Instead he decided to spend most of his life in Cornwall, while in Bangkok the house was well maintained but was somewhat unloved. It was only with Narisa, who inherited Chakrabongse House on the death of her parents, that the process of creating a home full of antiques, paintings and memories began.

In A House by the River, Narisa takes the reader through her home, pointing out important features and the precious items it contains. She also recounts the stories, happy and sad, of the people who stayed here – Prince Chakrabongse, Katya, Prince Chula, Lisba and now Narisa and Gee. She also explains why she started her publishing company River Books and opened the boutique hotel, Chakrabongse Villas.