Bangkok is Thailand’s capital and biggest city but it wasn’t always so. Bangkok was preceded by Ayutthaya, the capital of the Thai kingdom of the same name from the mid-14th century to 1767, when it was sacked by the invading Burmese, which then led to the capital being moved to Thonburi (now part of Bangkok).
Ayutthaya is actually conveniently located about one hour away by train from Bangkok, making it ideal for daytrips. Ayutthaya is also the first place in Thailand I’d been to other than Bangkok after several visits to the country.
Ayutthaya’s massive centuries-old temple and monastery ruins and monuments lie scattered within a sprawling historical park next to a modern town, making it different from Angkor in Cambodia or Bagan in Myanmar, both of which exist in rural areas. There are well over a dozen large temples. Most of these sites, all red or white, were heavily damaged by the Burmese so you can see a lot of destroyed Buddha statues and walls. I visited the following sites below (each site has a separate admission fee).
Wat Ratchaburana has a towering prang (temple spire) and is one of the most impressive sites. It was built by King Boromaraja II in 1424 to hold the ashes of his two brothers who died fighting each other in a duel on elephant-back for the throne. You can climb inside the prang and go up for a higher view of the surroundings. Wat Phra Sri Sanphet is another impressive site, featuring three distinctive white chedis (Buddhist domes) that contain the ashes of three kings.
Wat Ratchaburana
Wat Mahathat was one of Ayutthaya’s most important temples but it was sacked by Burmese invaders and is full of damaged prangs, headless statues and broken walls. Ironically, this gives it a certain attractiveness. It is most famous for a smiling Buddha head, chopped off from a statue by Burmese soldiers, stuck in a giant clump of tree roots. Wat Thammikarat is an interesting temple complex, with an indoor reclining Buddha, the outdoor ruin of a hall missing its roof, and a quirky hall devoted to chickens in the form of dozens of green and black rooster statues. Wat Lokaya Sutha features a giant white reclining Buddha outdoors as well as a solitary leaning prang. Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is an monastery complex that features a chedi and dozens of Buddha statues.
There are many other temples as well as several former European and Japanese settlements (where foreigners of those countries resided when Ayutthaya was a flourishing city) to check out, but I didn’t have time to do so.
I went to Ayutthaya by train from north Bangkok, but you can also take the train from Hua Lamphong, the city’s main station. When I arrived, I ignored the tuktuk drivers at the station and crossed the river via a short boat ride, then walked to the main sites in the historical part of Ayutthaya. However, it was very, very hot and after visiting three sites, I gave in and hailed a tuktuk to drive me to the other sites.
If you find yourself in Bangkok, make sure to come to Ayutthaya. A couple of good online resources about Ayutthaya to check out are this website and this blog.
Wat Mahathat’s photogenic ruins (above and below)
More Wat Mahathat ruins (above and below)
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
Wat Lokaya Sutha’s white, reclining Buddha
Behind the reclining Buddha is this lone, leaning prang
Chicken shrine at Wat Thammikarat (above and below)
Wat Thammikarat’s ruin
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon (above and below)
The train approaches at the station in northern Bangkok. Notice the sleeping people and the lack of any barriers. This is the most casual train station I’ve ever been to.
