Mahakan Fort, located next to Wat Ratchanaddaram, is just one of the two remaining fortresses of medieval Bangkok (the other being Phra Sumen Fortress). It was built at a time when the old city of Bangkok was protected by moats. There were three moats radiating from the Royal Palace. In the olden days, there were 16 gates and 14 forts into the old city of Bangkok. 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 has a width of 38 meters and a height of 4.9 meters. It has three floors with staircases leading to the first two. The highest floor is an octagonal tower with an entrance. In addition, part of the old city wall is still standing. It runs for about 200 meters along Maha Chai Road.
Mahakan Fort was inscribed as a National Ancient Monument of Thailand by the Fine Arts Department in 1949. The government wanted to turn the area between the canal and the city wall into a park, but are met with resistance from the community that stays on that land. Now the authorities are looking into turning it into a living museum of vintage houses.
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