Ayutthaya
It was the capital of the kingdom of Siam and a prosperous port of international trade between 1350 and 1767, with great commercial activity. Teak wood, sandalwood, sugar, hides, ivory, furs, silks, and local craft products were traded, as well as items arriving from Japan and China. In 1767 it was razed to the ground by the Burmese army in the Burmese-Siamese War. The ruins of the old city are now part of the Ayutthaya Historical Park, an archaeological complex with palaces, Buddhist temples, monasteries and statues that was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991. The new city was founded just a few kilometers east of that, about 80 kilometers north of Bangkok.
Programs at Ayutthaya
What to see in Ayutthaya?
Wat Mahathat
It is a Buddhist temple located within the Ayutthaya Historical Park. It had royal status and was considered the most sacred during the kingdom of Attuthaya, a kingdom that ruled Thailand between 1351 and 1767. The main pagodas are: Mahathat Chedi and Mahathat Prang, both with relics of Buddha. At one point in history, these were temples where the Supreme Patriarch (head of the order of Buddhist monks in Thailand) resided. The construction of the Mahathat Chedi began in 1374 during the reign of Boromma Ratchathirat and was completed under the reign of King Ramesuan. The temple was destroyed and burned during the Burmese invasion in 1767 and has been in ruins ever since.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
It is a Buddhist temple located west of the Chao Phraya River. It was built by King Prasat Thong as the first temple of his reign, as a memory of his mother, who lived in that area. It was designed in the Khmer style, a predominant style at the time. Its name literally means “Temple of the long and glorious reign.” It has a 35-meter-high central pagoda tower, in Cambodian style, with 4 small pagodas. The entire construction stands on a rectangular platform, which is surrounded by 8 pagodas connected in the shape of a cross. Along the outer wall were 120 statues of seated Buddha. It was a royal temple where Buddhist ceremonies were held and it was used as the residence of the kings.
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