Six things You Must do in Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya is about a one-hour drive in the north of Bangkok, There are not many tourists in Ayutthaya, and there is no subway noise. People can experience the peace and quiet of a small town here.

The history of the Ayutthaya Palace refers to the ruling period of King U-Thong, the ruler of Lopburi. The center of the newly established country, Ayutthaya Dynasty, is located on the north side of Wat Phra Si Sanphet. The palace was built in 1350 AD and extended to the north in the middle of the 15th century. The kings of successive generations have added a large number of palaces and pavilions to the palace. However,The palace was severely damaged. In 1767 AD, under the aggression of the Burmese, the palace was severely damaged, leaving almost no buildings unscathed. Now you are here, you can only see the ruins of Ayutthaya Palace, which was completely destroyed. There is only one building, Trimuk Pavilion, which is left intact. This was reconstructed by King Chulalongkorn, which was built on the original site during the Rama V Period. The north side of the site is composed of just weeds and ruins. It is best if you steer clear of this place, as it is inhabited by fierce, wild dogs.

Wat Lokaya Sutha, also known as the Reclining Buddha Temple, is located in the northwest corner of the Ayutthaya Historical Park and has the largest open-air Reclining Buddha in the city. The Buddha statue, which is covered in a bright yellow cassock, is black and white after being mottled by the rain. It lies under the blue sky and welcomes pilgrims from all over the world. The Reclining Buddha is made of bricks and is unique for the shell that sits on its head like a hat. It lays there while smiling peacefully at the sun.

Ayutthaya Historical Park covers two-thirds of the remains of Ayutthaya, including the ruins of the Royal Palace during the Ayutthaya Dynasty (that is, the site of Ayutthaya), temples, and museums. In total there are 95 of them. Among them, 67 have been ruined and only four temples are still in use. The temples of Ayutthaya are mostly Khmer and Sri Lankan style. There are large areas of grass, flowers, plants, pavilions, bridges, and pools between the monuments. It is like a huge park. Some ancient towers are scattered among them, creating a perfect harmony. There are also large areas of grasslands and ponds in the park. You need to spend a whole day or more to see all of it. There are restaurants and hotels on site too. Visitors can choose to rent a bike or take a boat trip around the moat to see the city.

Wat Phra Sri Sanphet is the location of the original Ayutthaya Palace, and there are many remains of ancient Ayutthaya there. There are three giant gray-white towers remaining, and the bones and ashes of three kings are kept there. It is said that the square on the right side was originally a wooden palace building, and it collapsed after the decline of the Ayutthaya Dynasty. The Ayutthaya Dynasty gave up this place following an attack from the Burmese Army. After the Burmese Army conquered Ayutthaya, the area was destroyed. Now the palace and the interior are all in ruins. The orange bricks inside the building are bare and have become tilted over time due to gravity. There used to be a 16m standing Buddha covered in 250kg of gold. After the Burmese Army captured Ayutthaya, the Buddha was melted down. The three bell-shaped pagodas of Wat Phra Sri Sanphet are great examples of ancient Ayutthaya architecture. They start thin from the bottom and widen out at the top to form a ring structure. After being destroyed by the Burmese Army, it has lost its former majesty. However, in terms of the majestic appearance of the ancient palace-style architecture, the three pagodas are as noble as Wat Phra Kaew, and are regarded as the “second Angkor Wat” by UNESCO.

This temple is famous for its magnificent pagoda, which was built in 1424 AD by King VII of the Ayutthaya Dynasty. According to legend, the former king and prince were buried in the temple. Now, when you pass through the gate, only one wall is left standing. You can see the main tower in the distance, which is old and magnificent, and makes you feel as if you're going back in time. The surroundings include the temple's ruined walls, a broken Buddha, tall trees, and a smiling Buddha whose eyes are closed. Climb up to the pagoda and you can view the entire ancient city. There is a basement in the pagoda, which holds the oldest Buddhist mural in Thailand. In addition to the pagoda, there is a walled temple and a memorial porch. In 1957, a large number of gold jewels and precious cultural relics were found in the basement of the pagoda, increasing this pagoda's fame. The paintings decorated on the arched dome of the temple's basement are the oldest murals of Buddha statues in Thailand.

Wat Yai Chaiyamongkhon, also known as Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, was built by the founder of the Ayutthaya Dynasty. The building is exquisite and the temple is magnificent. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ayutthaya. The temple is best known for its reclining Buddha and pagoda. There are large groups of Buddha statues next to the tower. If you observe it carefully, you can see that the Buddha's head and body were not built in the same era. In the past, in order to build a road in a more convenient way, construction workers cut off the Buddha's body to aid in construction.