sala (open-air pavilion) on an island in the lake in the centre of the city. The Bangkok city pillar shrine Bangkok's city pillar shrine (also known as san lak muang) is one of the most ancient, sacred, and magnificent city pillar shrines in Thailand. It was believed that people would achieve prosperity and fulfillment in their work and career, avoid misfortune, and improve their luck, power, and prestige if they took a bow and paid their respects at this sacred place. The shrine is in the heart of Bangkok, opposite the grand palace in the southeast corner of the Sanam Luang and close to the Ministry of Defence. According to a historian, the shrine was built after the establishment of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (Bangkok) to replace the old capital of the Thonburi Kingdom during the reign of King Rama I of the Chakri dynasty at 06:45, Sunday, 21 April 1782. It was constructed according to ancient traditions such as the Brahmans' belief in the held, the single city pillar ceremony (held "lak muang"), in which a pillar of acacia wood (chaiyapreuk) was erected before the effort of constructing the city began. It was intended to be the spiritual centre for Thai citizens. "Chaiyapreuk" (acacia) means "tree of victory". This wood was used by Thai locals to build a pillar high, buried deep, making a total height of , and in diameter. Inside was a horoscope for Bangkok. However, the shrine was renovated several times during the reigns of Kings Rama IV and Mongkut, and then became dilapidated. The king therefore ordered the excavation of the old pillar and construction of a replacement, with a new horoscope for the city placed inside. In 1852 the new pillar was installed, measuring tall, 47 centimetres (18.8 in) in diameter at the bottom, with a base wide. Both old and new pillars were moved to a refurbished pavilion with a spire (prang) modelled on the shrine of Ayudhya. The shrine was finished on Sunday, 1 May 1853. In 1980, in preparation for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Rattanakosin in 1982, the Bangkok city pillar shrine underwent renovation, including the addition of arches to house a five-city guardian deity. is popular worshipped in Tai folk religion and hinduism such as Kāla and Chitragupta. According to the In–Chan–Mun–Kong legend of the shrine, Thai locals believed that the construction of the shrine required the sacrifice