Ayutthaya Holidays

Important part of history – Thailands capital from 1350 to 1767, Ayutthaya is the nations best-known historical site. Burmese invaders made a thorough job to sacking the original city and the surviving ruins are scattered around an uninspiring modern provincial centre 80km north of Bangkok.

Recommended sights for your Ayutthaya Holidays

Major Monuments

• Wat Phra Sri Sanphet: The royal temple within the compound of the now vanished kings palace originally built in 1448 and restored at least twice. Once of Ayutthayas most famous ruins, it is distinguished by a row of three finely restored Ayutthaya-style chedis.
• Viharn Phra Mongkok Bopit: Close to Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, this modern building enshrines one of the largest bronze Buddha images in Thailand.
• Wat Phra Ram: Southeast of Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, this temple is easily identified by its large central prang . It was built in 1369 by King Ramesuen, Ayutthayas second king, on the cremation site of his father, King U Thong.
• Wat Mahathat: Across the lake east of Wat Phra Ram, this was once an extensive temple complex first built in 1374, although now it is in ruins. The impressive prang seen today was originally twice its present height.
• Wat Rachaburana: Directly north of Wat Mahathat, the first fine temple, in a comparatively good state of preservation, was built in 1424 by King Borommaracha II on the cremation site of his two elder brothers, who killed each other in a struggle for the throne. The crypt of the prang was excavated in 1957, revealing traces of mural paintings and a collection of golf objects and jewellery now in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.
• Wat Na Phra Mane: Opposite the royal palace on the north side of the Lop Buri rive, this is Ayutthayas best preserved temple. The bot is a good example of early Ayutthaya architectural style and enshrines a 6m (19ft) bronze Buddha image in royal attire, typical of late Ayutthaya sculpture. Of note in the viharn is a Dvaravati stone Buddha image seated in European fashion with hands on knees.
• Wat Yai Chai Mongkol: Across the Pasak River in a southeasterly direction, this temple was originally built in 1357 but is most distinguished for its chedi, constructed to commemorate King Naresuans victory in single-handed combat on elephant-back over the Crown Prince of Burma in 1592.
• Wat Phanan Choeng: West of Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, close to the rive bank, the temple is believed to predate the founding of Ayutthaya by some 26 years, since its revered 19m (62ft) image of the seated Buddha dates from 1324.
• Phu Khao Thong: On open ground 2km northwest of the city, this monument rises imposingly above the flat countryside. The chedi was originally built by Burmese in 1569 to mark their first conquest of Ayutthaya, but the present structure dates from 1745.

Bang Pa-InOpen Daily 08:30 15:30. On the Banks of the Chao Phraya river 20km downstream from Ayutthaya is the royal summer palace of Bang Pa-In.Although the site dates back to the Ayutthaya period, the present buildings were constructed in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The complex is attractively laid-out and displays a surprising variety of architectural styles, including Thai, Chinese, Italian and Victorian. Bang Pa-In is included on virtually all organized tours to Ayutthaya; alternatively, it can be reach by minibus from town.

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