Ayutthaya in history
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| Map of Ayutthaya island |
Ayutthaya became the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam in 1350 after Sukhothai. It is on the Chao Phraya River. Therefore, it has a direct access to the Gulf of Siam. In fact, the old royal city is built on an island as it is completely surrounded by three rivers: the Chao Phraya River, the Lopburi Rivers, and the Pa Sak River. It is located in the Central Plains at about 80 kilometers north of Bangkok, the third capital of the kingdom. Today, its official name is Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (พระนครศรีอยุธยา). The Thai word Nakhon is derived from the Sanskrit word Nagara and refers to a capital city. Phra (พระ) is a title for a most revered person (i.e. a monk) or a place. The word Sri or Si (ศรี) also comes from the Sanskrit Sri and in Thai occurs as a part of a personal name or a place name.
By the end of the 17th century, Ayutthaya had become one of the largest cities in the world with 1M
inhabitants. It had commercial exchanges with the Arab World, India, China, Japan as well as many western countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands or France. The Portuguese had established a trading post and built a Catholic church. King Louis XIV sent a delegation to establish the first diplomatic relations with the King of Siam.
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| Sitting Buddha |
But in 1767, the Burmese invaded the region and burnt the city down. People fled and this is when King Taksin decided to sail downstream to found a new capital on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in what is now Thon Buri. Later, the new capital moved to a new location across the river to Ratanakosin, the old city of Bangkok.
The Historical Park
In 1991, the ruins of the historic city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of its formal grandeur has now been restored and it has become a touristic attraction. It is a lovely wooded area with lakes and canals, where you can see some of the ancient capital monuments.
*Viharn (image hall) Phra Mongkol Bopit (1637) is an imposing Wat, which houses a large Buddha statue.
*Wat Phra Si Sanphet used to be the largest temple in Ayutthaya. Built in the 14th century, it had 16m high gold Buddhas that were melted by the Burmese army. The row of its three majestic chedis (Thai for stupas) have become the old city's landmarks. They stand as a testimony of the art known as the Ayutthaya style.
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| Wat Phra Si Sanphet chedis |
*Wat Phra Mahathat (Temple of the Great Relics) was also built in the 14th century. It has an
impressive prang (a Khmer-inspired central tower) symbolizing Mount Meru. Its main touristic attraction has also become a Buddha's head entwined in the roots of a tree. This Wat was the residence of the Supreme Patriarch. There is still a superb stone Buddha image in the former Viharn (Assembly Hall).
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| Buddha's head |
*Wat Lokayasutharam is the place, where there is a huge reclining Buddha image. It is 37 meters long and 8 meters high. The head rests on a lotus.
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| Reclining Buddha |
*Wat Chaiwatthanaram is perhaps the most spectacular temple. It is not located on the island but is
on the other side of the river. It was built in 1630 by King Prasatthong in a style similar to that of Angkor Wat. It was a royal monastery. The main prang (35 m high) stands in the middle of a square with four lesser prangs in the corners. This central monument is surrounded by the second square of eight lesser prangs and a gallery that has rows of Buddha images. The Ubosoth (Ordination Hall) is facing the river and has two sitting Buddha images. The symbolic outline of its architecture (square/circle) and of its numbers (1 + 4 + 8) is quite interesting.
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| Wat Chai Watthanaram |
These are but a few of Ayutthaya's main sights. It might be a good idea to stay here for a few days and wander through the main sites with a bicycle as the park paths invite visitors to a more leisurely ride to discover this lovely and fascinating place.
Christian Sorand
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