|
|
|
THE
NORTH I CENTRAL
&
EAST
COAST I THE
NORTHEAST I THE
SOUTH |
|
Ang
Thong
I
Bangkok
I
Chachoengsao
I
Chai
Nat
I
Kanchanaburi
I
Lop
Buri
I
Trat |
|
Nakhon
Pathom
I
Nonthaburi
I
Pathum
Thani
I
Phetchaburi
I
Ayutthaya
I
Nayok |
|
Prachin
Buri
I
Prachuap
Khiri
Khan
I
Ratchaburi
I
Sa
Kaeo
I
Samut
Prakan
|
|
Samun
Sakhon
I
Samun
Songkhram
I
Saraburi
I
Sing
Buri
I
Suphan
Buri
|
|
Nakhon
I
Chanthaburi
I
Chon
Buri
I
Rayong
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 The Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya or Ayutthaya in short,
is
one
of
Thailand's
historical
and
majestic
highlights.
Serving
as
the
Thai
capital
for
417
years
(1350
1767:
Kingdom
of
Ayutthaya),
it
was
once
glorified
as
one
of
the
biggest
cities
in
Southeast
Asia.
During
the
17th
century,
most
foreign
visitors
to
Ayutthaya,
traders
or
diplomats
alike,
claimed
Ayutthaya
to
be
the
most
illustrious
and
glittering
city
that
they
had
ever
visited.
The
map
of
Ayutthaya
published
in
1691
by
Simon
de
la
Loubere
in
Du
Royaume
De
Siam
is
proof
of
such
recognition. |
|
|
|
The Kingdom of Ayutthaya reached its apex in terms of sovereignty,
military
might,
wealth,
culture,
and
international
commerce
in
the
16th
century
when
the
Kingdoms
territory
was
extended
far
beyond
present-day
Laos,
Cambodia,
and
Myanmar.
Ayutthaya
even
had
diplomatic
relations
with
Louis
XIV
of
France
and
was
courted
by
Dutch,
Portuguese,
English,
Chinese
and
Japanese
merchants.
Visitors
can
explore
and
appreciate
Thai
history
in
Phra
Nakhon
Si
Ayutthaya,
which
is
situated
only
86
kilometers
north
of
Bangkok.
Visitors
to
Ayutthaya
can
marvel
at
its
grandeur
reflected
through
numerous
magnificent
structures
and
ruins
concentrated
in
and
around
the
city
island
surrounded
by
Maenam
Chao
Phraya,
Maenam
Pa
Sak
and
Maenam
Lopburi.
|
|
|
|
More importantly,Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park, an extensive
historical
site
in
the
heart
of
Ayutthaya
city,
has
been
included
in
UNESCO's
World
Heritage
list
since
13
December,
1991.
|
|
|
|
The Past
The Kingdom of Ayutthaya was built and developed in leaps and bounds.
The
ruins
in
Ayutthaya
that
survived
the
test
of
time
embody
both
the
glorious
and
ignominious
stories
of
the
Kingdom.
This ancient capital of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, founded in 1350
by
King
U-Thong,
had
thirty
three
kings
of
different
dynasties
and
reached
its
peak
in
the
middle
of
the18th
century.
A
magnificent
city
with
three
palaces
and
over
400
magnificent
temples
on
an
island
threaded
by
canals
Ayutthaya
was
truly
an
impressive
city
that
attracted
both
Europeans
and
Asians.
After
a
15-month
siege
the
Kingdom
of
Ayutthaya
was
conquered
and
completely
destroyed
by
the
Burmese
in
1767.
When
King
Taksin
the
Great
finally
liberated
the
Kingdom,
a
new
dynasty
was
established
and
the
capital
was
moved
to
Thonburi.
The seal of Ayutthaya depicts a conch on a pedestal tray placed in
a
small
castle
under
a
Mun
tree.
According
to
legend,
King
U-Thong,
founder
of
the
Kingdom
of
Ayutthaya,
discovered
a
beautiful
conch
buried
in
the
ground
being
prepared
for
the
establishment
of
the
seat
of
his
Kingdom.
Consequently,
he
had
a
tiny
castle
built
to
house
the
shell.
Hence,
the
provincial
seal. |
|
|
|
The Present
Today, there are but groups of crumbling ruins and rows of headless
Buddhas
where
once
an
empire
thrived.
The
temple
compounds
are
still
awe-inspiring
even
in
disrepair
and
a
visit
here
is
memorable
and
a
good
beginning
for
those
drawn
to
the
relics
of
history.
The architecture of Ayutthaya is a fascinating mix of Khmer (ancient
Cambodian
style)
and
early
Sukhothai
style.
Some
cactus-shaped
obelisks,
called
prangs,
denote
Khmer
influence
and
look
something
like
the
famous
towers
of
Angkor
Wat.
The
more
pointed
stupas
are
ascribed
to
the
Sukhothai
influence.
For
new
arrivals
who
had
limited
their
visit
to
Bangkok,
similarities
may
be
noted
with
the
riverside
Wat
Arun,
an
18th-century
structure
that
was
built
in
the
so-called
Ayutthaya
style,
a
melding
of
Sukhothai
Buddhist
influences
and
Hindu-inspired
Khmer
motifs.
Ayutthaya is administratively divided into 16 districts: Phra Nakhon
Si
Ayutthaya,
Ban
Phraek,
Bang
Ban,
Bang
Pahan,
Bang
Pa-in,
Amphoe
Bang
Sai,
Bang
Sai,
Lat
Bua
Luang,
Maha
Rat,
Nakhon
Luang,
Phachi,
Phak-Hai,
Sena,
Tha
Rua,
Uthai
and
Wang
Noi. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
