The Historic Ruins of Ayutthaya, Thailand

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Ayutthaya, named after Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama in India, is an ancient city and also the capital of the Ayutthaya Province in the Central plains of Thailand. Ayutthaya was founded by King U-Thong in 1350, as the new capital to his kingdom when he escaped Lop Buri during an outburst of the then dreaded disease, smallpox. The city is situated at the intersection of Chao Phraya, Pa Sak and the Lopburi rivers. Located 90 km from Bangkok, the city lies enroute the north-south railway link connecting Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

This historic city lies on an island with the rivers Chao Phraya flowing through the west and south of the city while the Pa Sak covers the eastern side of Ayutthaya. Only ruins of this ancient city remains today, as the Burmese army almost destroyed it when they attacked the kingdom in 1767. The old city is a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site and is categorized as the Ayutthaya historic park. The modern city of Ayutthaya is situated a few kilometers east of the old city and is modern in both architecture as well as lifestyle.

There are several beautiful attractions in Ayutthaya and one of the most visited sites is the Wat Chaiwattanarm, which is a most outstanding temple just outside Ayutthaya on the western bank of Chao Praya. One of the important landmarks of the city is the Wat Lokayasutharam or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, which as obvious has a gigantic statue of the Buddha in a reclining position that symbolizes the passing of Buddha to the state of Nirvana. There are several more statues of the Buddha in the temple that have been recovered from the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya.

One can visit a number of temples in Ayutthaya all of which are more splendid than the other such as the Wat Ratchaburana or the Temple of the Royal Restoration, the Wat Phu Khao Thong and Wat Yai Chai Mongkol to name a few. The Wat Phra Sri Sanphet is the largest temple in the Ayutthaya historic park complex and dates back to 1448 when King Boromtriloknath had the temple built. Apart from the number of temples, visitors can also visit the Chao Sam Phraya Museum while those visiting with families can enjoy a day at the Ayutthaya Elephant Camp.

One can take a train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya or take one of the ferries that run on the Chao Praya River, which is the main river connecting Bangkok and the nearby areas to Ayutthaya. Taxis and bus services are also available from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. The best time to visit this historic city is in the months of November to February.