Wang Parutsakawan, meaning “the Palace of Marian Plums,” looks so quiet it might seem vacant, if not inaccessible. A traveller would be justified in feeling guarded at first — brave is the soul who ventures inside a building belonging to the Royal Thai Police just for the sake of looking at it; however, this early twentieth-century building is an architectural jewel. They were built for Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath, the Prince of Phitsanulok, a son of King Chulalongkorn, Rama V. The gate of the main mansion still bears the royal coat of arms of the Chakrabongse family. The palace has had a curious destiny. By 1919, no longer serving as a residence, it became the Siamese Prime Minister's office. Later, it was handed over to the Police Department and turned into the headquarters of the National Intelligence Services. Italian architect Mario Tamagno designed the main palace for Prince Bhuvanath, who had a great fondness for Europe, having studied in England and Russia, to reflect his modern tastes. Most iconic are the verandahs and green pediments over the windows, designed with floral motifs adhering to Art Nouveau's allencompassing traditions. All doors — even the details on balconies — embrace the style of the times. While the external façade exudes Art Nouveau, its rooms are more evocative of grand Baroque aesthetics. Heavy chandeliers; large mirrors; stucco friezes; frescoes underlined by shades of purple, green, orange, and yellow — the fixtures practically transport visitors from Bangkok to Vienna or Milan.