Ayutthaya

AYUTTHAYA is a city in the central plains of Thailand and the capital of the province with the same name. It is located 80 kilometers north of Bangkok and its population is approx. 50000. Founded around 1350, Ayutthaya became the second capital of Siam after Sukhothai and a prosperous international trading port from 1350 until razed by the Burmese in 1767. The ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park, an archaeological site, which is located upon an island surrounded by 3 rivers, the Chao Phraya, Pa Sak and Lopburi River. It contains palaces, Buddhist temples, monasteries and statue. Although there are numerous attractions, the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park in the heart of Ayutthaya City is a UNESCO’s World Heritage site and a wonder to behold. The ruins that now remain, many of which have been painstakingly restored, have been granted World Heritage status by UNESCO. The architecture of Ayutthaya is a fascinating mix of Khmer and early Sukhothai styles. Apart from touring Ayutthaya’s history and temples, your visit can be filled with something more recent in terms of the cultural contexts such as the Ayodha Floating Market, Krirk Yoonpan’s Million Toys Museum, Ayutthaya Boat Museum or the Bang Sai Royal Folk Art and Crafts Center. Its proximity to Bangkok makes it a popular day-trip destination for travelers from Bangkok.

HISTORY. Ayutthaya was founded in 1351 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lopburi and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya Kingdom or Siam. It is named after the ancient Indian city of Ayodhya synonymous with Rama, the 7th incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu. Ayutthaya became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. The Siamese Kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1350 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya in Siam, or present-day Thailand. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is considered to be the precursor of modern Thailand and its developments are an important part of the history of Thailand. It is estimated that Ayutthaya by the year 1600 had a population of about 300,000, with the population perhaps reaching 1,000,000 around 1700, making it one of the world's largest cities at that time, when it was sometimes known as the “Venice of the East”. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Ayutthaya emerged as an entrepôt of international trade and its cultures flourished. In 1767, the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, ending the 417-year-old Ayutthaya Kingdom. The seat of Siamese authority was then moved to Thonburi and later Bangkok in the following years. The ruins of the old city are preserved in the Ayutthaya Historical Park, which is recognized internationally as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins, characterized by the prang (reliquary towers) and gigantic monasteries, give an idea of the city's past splendor. Modern Ayutthaya was refounded a few kilometers to the east.

GETTING THERE. From Bangkok various routes will bring you to Ayutthaya and the ride by car takes you a bit more than one hour. There is a regular bus and mini bus service available, which do operate from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal. This trip is scheduled to be around an hour and a half, but also depends on the traffic around the Thai capital. Bus services are also available from/to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai) and other destinations in Central Thailand. As Ayutthaya is on route from Bangkok to all major provinces in the north and also northeast, it is easy to catch a bus direct from here to continue your travel without returning back to Bangkok first. A scenic way of reaching Ayutthaya is by train. Most trains heading to the north and northeast will stop in Ayutthaya. The ride from the capital takes roughly one and a half hour. From here you can continue your journey by day- or night train (1st and 2nd class sleeper are available) to the north (Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Lampang and Chiang Mai etc.), as well as to the northeast (Nakhon Ratchassima, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani and Nong Khai etc.). Another option to visit Ayutthaya is by boat. Cruise boats run up the river from Bangkok, often stopping at Koh Kret and Bang Pa-In along the way. You'll need to book in advance as there are no scheduled services, just trips for tourists.

ATTRACTIONS: At the center of Ayutthaya City is Ayutthaya Historical Park (an UNESCO World Heritage Site) the most visited site in the area. Here, the four spectacular temples of the early Ayutthaya period (1350-1529) stand amongst a dense canopy of ancient trees. West of it is the site of the Royal Palace and Royal Chapel (Wat Phra Si Sanphet), the political and spiritual heart of the lost kingdom. Apart from touring Ayutthaya’s history and temples, your visit can be filled with something more recent in terms of the cultural contexts such as the Ayodha Floating Market, Krirk Yoonpan’s Million Toys Museum, Ayutthaya Boat Museum or the Bang Sai Royal Folk Art and Crafts Center. Approx. 20 km down the Chao Phraya River from Ayutthaya is the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace. The site was first used by the royal court as a summer retreat in the 17th century. However, the Palace was destroyed with the fall of Kingdom of Ayutthaya and was restored by King Rama IV in the middle of the 19th century. Most of the buildings that exist today date from the reign of King Rama V, who regularly spent his summers there. The structures represent a variety of architectural styles, set in a large park around ponds and waterway. Travelling by boat to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya is popular among tourists since it does not only reveal the beauty as well as lifestyle of the people on both sides of the Chao Phraya River, but also reflects the life in history at the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom when the Chao Phraya River served as a channel of transportation in trading with foreign countries. About festivals. Beside the popular nationwide festivals like Songkran (April) and Loy Krathong (November) has also Ayutthaya its own Longboat Racing Festival every year in June.