Ayutthaya

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From the 14th to 18th centuries, Ayutthaya served as the capital of the central kingdom of Thailand and as its cultural centre. With influences from Dvaravati, Khmer, Mon, and Lawa cultures, Ayutthaya was able to create its own arts and culture from a delicate blend of those cultures. During the reigns of 33 kings, Ayutthaya gave Thailand a great number of fine buildings, monuments and works of art. In 1767 Ayutthaya was completely destroyed by the Burmese. The remains of this island city are of extreme archaeological importance and the extensively restored historical park in Thailand was selected a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. An annual festival, Ayutthaya World Heritage Day, is held in December.

Countless ruins of palaces, temples and monuments are scattered over the historical park of Ayutthaya. Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the largest in its day, within the royal palace compound. The line of its three chedis, containing the ashes of the first three kings, is in the style now known as Ayutthayan. During excavations, the Fine Arts Department of Thailand found treasure chests containing priceless objects including gold Buddhas, jewels and royal regalia which are now housed in Bangkok’s National Museum.

While staying in Thailand, a visit to Ayutthaya can best be done as daytrip from Bangkok or as part of a roundtrip, for instance in combination with visits to Kanchanaburi or Khao Yai national park. It is also included in our module Ancient capitals.