Ercole Manfredi

Who was Ercole Manfredi?

Ercole Pietro Manfredi was an Italian architect who lived and worked in early twentieth-century Siam. Born in Turin, Italy, he attended the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts before travelling to Bangkok, where he was one of many Westerners employed by the Siamese government.

He made significant career progress through the court of King Vajiravudh, but left government office to work privately as the country was going through political change which abolished absolute monarchy and decreased government employment of foreigners. However, by adopting a Thai identity and way of life, marrying a Thai woman and settling down permanently, Manfredi remained a relevant and respected figure in Thai architecture, and later became a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University. His works include various royal residences and public institutions, ranging in style from Venetian Gothic to modernist, and incorporated Thai traditional styles as well. He contributed to much of Bangkok's architectural heritage, but no complete records of his works were kept.