Rattanakosin is an island in Bangkok's historic Phra Nakhon district. It lies on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River and was where King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloe founded the city as the capital of his Rattanakosin kingdom in 1782. Channels around were dug to protect the heart of the city.

Now the oldest buildings of the city are located on the island - the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, some temples and historical monuments. Among them are the remains of the city wall of the 19th century, the first residential buildings of the city, the parliament and most government organizations and ministries are still nearby. There are both modern buildings built in the last decade and modern historical monuments in the historical center, for example, the Democracy Monument, erected in memory of the events of 1992.
Initially, the Huaqiao - ethnic Chinese lived on the island where the Royal Palace is now located, but as soon as the construction of Bangkok began, they were all expelled and allowed to settle 3 kilometers downstream. This is how the modern Bangkok Chinatown was born. In the 19th century, Chinatown was the main trading center of the city, and Chinese merchants were the richest in Thailand. Several large temples remained as a legacy from the time of prosperity.

Golden Hill, Grand Square, royal palaces, street temples and old buildings carry a piece of Ayutthaya architecture, and constitute a worthy cultural heritage of the historical center of Bangkok.