Phra Sumen Fort

One of only two surviving bastions from the original ring of fortifications that once guarded the old city, this whitewashed octagonal fort stands at a bend of the river near Banglamphu. Built in the late eighteenth century to defend the newly founded capital, it now anchors a small riverside park popular with residents in the cooler evening hours. The tiered brick tower, topped with crenellations and a slender spire, offers a tangible link to the city's defensive past and pleasant views across the water.