Ayutthaya is 76 kilometres north of Bangkok and boasts numerous magnificent ruins. Such ruins indicate that Ayutthaya was one of Indo - China's most prosperous cities. Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya a Historical Park, a vast stretch of historical site in the heart of Ayutthaya city, has been included in UNESCO's list of world heritage since 13 December ,1991.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Dating From 1491, Wat Phra Si Sanphet was located inside the compound of the king's palace-the foundations of which are still visible-and served as the royal chapel, as Wat Phra Keo does in Bangkok. The three main chedis, although poorly restored, contain the ashes of three Ayutthaya kings, and the extent of the temple's ruins attests to its former splendour.

Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit

Near Wat Phra Si Sanphet, this modern building houses huge seated Buddha image, dating from the 15th century and originally intended to stand in the open air. The image was restored several times and is the object of considerable veneration among Buddhist visitors to Ayutthaya.

Wat Phra Mahathat

Is believed to be one of Ayutthaya's oldest temples, possibly built by King Boromaraja I(1370-88). Its central prang, of which only the base remains today, once rose to a height of 165 feet. Traces of the original stucco decorations can still be seen on some of the surrounding chedis.

Wat Phra Ram

Though founded in 1369, the ruins of Wat Phra Ram date mostly from its restoration in the 15th century. Its main feature is a well-proportioned prang that stands on a stepped terrace adorned with chedis. Some of the prang's stucco decorations, including walking and standing Buddhas, still remain.

Wat Ratburana (The Temple of the Royal Restoration)

This temple is near Pa Than Bridge and opposite Wat Mahathat. King Borom Rachathirat II (Chao Sam Phraya) built a temple on the site of where his two elder brothers were cremated. His two brothers died in a power struggle to succeed their father, King Nakhon In who died in A.D.1424. A series of bell-shaped chedis surround the main prang and a large oblong-shaped viharn is situated at the front. The architectural style evolved from the Khmer prasat, but has been adapted by the addition of a higher multi-layered base and an extended upper section. More corners were added to the main body and the tower section made taller to become corn-shaped. The antefixes, on the other hand, were attached to the body of the tower instead of leaving a decent gap between them as was common in the Khmer prasat.

Compared with the Khmer examples, the mondop, the large rectangular building in front of the prang, was reduced in size to become merely a small entrance, whose roof was decorated with small circular-shaped chedis. This suggests Burmese artistic influences which could have come directly or via Sukhothai. A common feature of the Burmese Pagan architectural style was the building of circular-shaped chedi on top of the viharn entrances.

Wat Na Phra Meru

Located across the river north of the palace, this temple has been restored a number of times but still has a finely proportioned bot and a viharn. The latter contains a large Dvaravati stone Buddha seated in European style, his hands on his knees, which some scholars think originated in Nakhon Pathom.

Wat Chai Wattanaram

Built in 1630 by King Prasat Thong, Wat Chai Wattanaram was conceived as a replica of an Angkorian temple, with a huge prang surrounded by smaller ones, symbolizing Mount Meru, the abode of the heavenly gods. Now restored, the temple has lost much of its former charm.

Wat Phu Khao Thong (The Temple of Golden Mountain)

The Phu Khao Thong chedi is situated about two kilometres north west of the city island. It was built by King Ramesuan in A.D.1387. Burengnong, the Burmese king, built three layers of the large superimposed base in Burmese style after he captured Ayutthaya in A.D.1569 and named it Phu Khao Thong. The main body of the chedi in Thai style was built later. King Borom Kot carried out renovations during his reign in A.D.1744 and changed its appearance into a 12-redented cornered chedi. Only the lowest part retains its original Mon style. Some scholars, based on the record of Dr. Kaempfer, a Westerner, who visited Ayutthaya during the reign of King Petracha, Believe that King Naresuan built this chedi on the site where he won a battle over the Burmese Crown Prince in A.D.1592.

However after Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese in A.D.1767 it was burnt down. The Thai Government, under premier Pibulsongkram, renovated the shrine again some 40 years ago and the topmost orb of 2,500 grammes of gold was installed to commemorate the begining of the 25th century B.E.Unfortunately, five years later the orb was stolen. According to records, a canal was dug from Wat Phu Khao Thong by a former monk from this temple and his men to keep the Burmese army out when Ayutthaya was attacked in A.D.1548. The moat which connects a canal with the main river is still in evidence and is called Mahanak canal in honour of the former monk.

Wat Yai Chai Mongkol

A lofty chedi dominates Wat Yai Chai Mongkol on the opposite side of the river. It was given its name by King Naresuan to commemorate a battle fought against the Crown Prince of Burma in 1592. Naresuan's victory brought independence to Ayutthaya after 15 years as a Burmese vassal. In the complex is also a huge image of a reclining Buddha in brick and stucco.

Wat Phanan Choeng

Overlooking the river on the opposite bank from the main city, Wat Phanan Choeng was founded shortly before the establishment of Ayutthaya as the capital. Its main building enshrines a huge, seated Buddha image, 57 feet tall, the object of particular devotion to Thais of Chinese origin. The temple is popular stopover for riverboat cruises along the Chao Phraya.

Royal Palace (Royal Grand Palace)

The Royal Palace of Ayutthaya is now known as the Old Palace. It is situated next to the northern section of the city wall. The palace was built by King U-Thong, the first sovereign of the kingdom, in A.D.1350. The site is now occupied by Wat Phra Si Sampet. The old palace was turned into the monastery by King Borom Trailokanath in A.D. 1448 when he declared the three grand wooden prasats built by King U-Thong as a phuttawat or religious zone. King Borom Trailokanath the extended the palace ground further north towards the Lopburi River, which was then used as the city's moat. Several halls have been built since then.

Sanphet Prasat Hall

This prasat-style hall had long porticoes both at the front and the back, with shorter ones on the sides. On a mini balcony on the front portico was a small mondop. This hall was used as a reception hall for foreign visitors. On both sides of this hall there were stables where white elephants were kept. King Borom Trailokanath built this hall as as a sister to Benjarat Maha Prasat Hall. The hall had a tall spire on top of the roof which was covered by tin sheet. The ridges of the roof were decorated by 'bralee' or small spikes. When Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese the hall was burnt down and only its brick and mortar foundations survives. King Rama IV, desirous of honouring the Ayutthaya kings, sent a team of officials from Bangkok to built a small prasat on the foundation of Sanphet Prasat Hall and also planned to install a plaque with the names of all Ayutthaya's kings inscribed. But he died before the construction was completed. In A.D.1907 King Rama V had the unfinished prasat pulled down and built a ceremonial pavilion instead.

Chakawat Paichayon Hall

This prasat-style hall was built on top of the inside wall of the palace and is situated on the east side. It was built by King Prasat Thong in A.D. 1632. In this hall the king received an envoy sent by Burmese king to protest Prasat Thong's proposal to reform the calendar. During the Bangkok period, King Rama I built a pavilion on top of the outerwall of the palace in the same manner and it was used to view the processions or the military exercises.

Trimuk Hall

This building is behind Sanphet Prasat Hall but its date of construction is unknown. The name was first mentioned in the reign of King Borom Rachathirat II in A.D. 1427 when it was destroyed by fire. It is believed that the original hall was a wooden structure built on top of a plain foundation and the floor was covered with terracotta slabs. It was a long twin building similar to Sanphet Prasat Hall. The original foundation survives. It is believed to be the garden house inside the inner court. When King Rama V celebrated the 40th anniversary of his coronation in A.D. 1907 he had wooden models of various Ayutthayan halls built on top of the original sites and one of them was built on top of the Trimuk Hall's foundations. When King Rama VI and Later VII took the throne they conducted a religious rite in honour of the former kings in the Trimuk Hall. It was renovated by the Fine Arts Department in A.D. 1953. The present king, on 5th November. 1953, held a religious rite in honour of the former kings here and again in. 1988 to celebrate the 42th anniversary of his coronation.

Chantarakasem Palace And Museum

Originally built for King Naresuan (1590-1605) when he was Crown Prince, Chantarakasem Palace was reconstructed in the 19th century by King Rama IV of Bangkok, who used it as a summer retreat. Now overlooking a main street in the modern town, one of its elegant buildings contains a small but interesting collection of objects found in Ayutthaya.

Bang Pa-In Summer Palace

A few miles down the Chao Phraya River from Ayutthaya is the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace. The site was first used by the royal court as a retreat from the hot weather in the 17th century but fell into ruin after the fall of Ayutthaya; it was restored by King Rama IV in the mid-19th century, though most of the buildings that exist today date from the reign of King Rama V, who regularly spent his summers there. Typically of the fifth reign, the structures represent a variety of architectural styles, set in a large park around ponds and waterways. The only one of the royal residences open to the public is the Chiness-style Vehat Chamroon Palace, constructed entirely of materials imported from China. In addition, there is an Italian-style palace, a circular pavilion with steps leading down to a pool, the graceful Thai-style Aisawan Tippaya Asna pavilion in the middle of a lake, and, across one of the waterways, a Buddhist chapel in neo-Gothic style with stained-glass windows. Scattered around the extensive gardens are European statues as well as monuments erected by King Rama V in memory of members of his family, one of them to a much-loved Queen who was drowned in a boating accident.

Phra Thinang Utthayan Phumisathian

This is a 2-storey building located to the east and opposite the pond. It is a piece of elaborate work seen tinted alternately with dark and light greens. Its balcony in similar in design to a Swiss chalet. Before being destroyed by fire during the restoration in 1938, the whole building was built from wood and decorated inside with mahogany furniture ordered directly from Europe.

Phra Nakhon Luang (Palace of Great City)

This royal residence for summer retreats is on the east bank of the Pasak River. It was used by various kings of Ayutthaya as a temporary camp en route to visit the Buddha's Footprint in Saraburi or a trip to Lopburi. Only a ruin remains today. Prince Damrong surmised that this residence was built during King Song Tham's reign when the Footprint was found. The original building was later strengthened with brick and plaster during King Prasat Thong's reign. Also during this period a prasat was built. According to royal annals, King Prasat Thong sent artists to Khmer in A.D. 1631 to copy the plan of a Khmer prasat from the capital city of Angkor Thom, hence the name Phra Nakhon Luang. However, only a simplified version of the original prasat was constructed. The prasat nowadays is a part of a temple where monks help to keep the building in a state of good repair.

Phom Phet (The Diamond Fort)

This is the only fort that remains almost intact, the others whose remains are dotted around the city island having been completely destroyed. However the ancient site is now under threat of encroachment from people looking for housing accomodation. This fortress, also known as Phom Phet Pairote, is situated on a site known as Bangkaja where the Chao Phraya River and the Pasak River meets to form the south-west corner of the city island. This large fortress is thought to have been built during the reign of King Mahathammaracha following the loss of Ayutthaya to the Burmese for the first time in A.D.1549. The original earthen parapet was strengthened with brick.

Elephant Kraal Pavilion

The Pavilion, utilized as the royal seat to witness the elephant round up, is situated north of the city island. In the past wild elephants would be trained here to become war or transport animals. It is thought that in the Ayutthaya period the stockade was inside the city wall, but this one was built later and was in use up to Bangkok period. In the middle of the stockade there is a shrine where the elephant guardian is supposed to reside Posts made of whole timbers form the fence where elephants were tied up during the training. An elephant round-up was demonstrated here in 1890, during the reign of King Rama V, for the benefit of the Tsarevitch, who later became Nicholas II of Russia, during his visit to Siam.

St. Joseph's Church

St. Joseph's Church was built during the reign of King Narai in 1666 as a result of a request from the missionaries headed by Bishop Lambert de la Motte to build a church and a mission school. The original wooden church was rebuilt in bricks and mortar in the European style between 1685 and 1695. During the second Burmese attack, the Siamese used the church as a shelter which led to its being destroyed on 23 March 1767, In 1831 Father Pallegoix came to Siam and for the next seven years oversaw the restoration of the church. In 1847 under Father Albert the new building was completed, incorporating the front and side of the former building. More additions in the 12th century Romanesque style were made during the tenure of Father Perros during the reign of King Rama V. Today the church is a testament to the religious tolerance of the Siamese kings and the only place of continuous Catholic worship over some 300 years in Thailand.

Prasat Nakhon Luang

Situated on the east bank of Pa Sak River, Tambon Nakhon Luang, it was used as the royal accommodation during trips to the Buddha's Footprint Shrine and Lopburi. It is assumed to have been constructed during the reign of King Songtham, but was improved to be a brick and plaster accommodation during the reign of King.

Bang Sai Arts & Crafts Fair at The Royal Folk Arts & Cafts Centre, Bang Sai (January)

The annual fair showcases products of the SUPPORT project under H.M. the Queen's Royal Patronage. Visitors will enjoy shopping, and viewing exhibitions and a display of local products from each district of Ayutthaya province. Folk entertainment performances enliven the fair.

Songkran Festival In Front of Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit (April 13)

The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for merry making in Ayutthaya, with religious ceremonies as well as public festivities. Anyone who ventures out on the streets is likely to get a though soaking, but all in a spirit of fun and welcome at the peak of the hot season.

Bang Sai Loi Krathong ( Festival of Lights ) and International Boat Racing at The Royal Folk Arts & Cafts Centre, Bang Sam (November)

Celebrations include traditional float (Krathong) and beauty contests, handicreafts demonstrations and exhibitions, and krathong - launching beneath the full moon. Bang Sai Loi Krathong ( Festival of Lights ) and International Boat Racing at The Royal Folk Arts & Cafts Centre, Bang Sai (November)

Ayutthaya Loi Krathong Festival In Front of Chantakasem National Museum (November)

At the Loi Krathong Festival, little floats with candles are set adrift on the river under the full moon, creating a beautiful sight.

Ayutthaya World Heritage Site Celebrations at Ayutthaya Historical park (December)

The ancient Siamese capital of Ayutthaya was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991. Ayutthaya celebrates its glorious past with historical exhibitions, traditional cultural processions and performances, light & sound presentations around city ruins, and numerous forms of entertainment.

Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Center at Bang Sai

With an area of 285 rai (or 14 acres), the Center is located in Tambon Chang Yai, Amphoe Bang Sai, also near Bang Pa-In, is a small riverside village established in 1982 by Queen Sirikit as a place where farmers are given the opportunity to learn the traditional crafts and thus acquire a supplementary source of income. At this center, you will have a glimpses of how farmers in the 4 regions live and work ; how their products of arts and crafts are produced. There are regular demonstrations of basket making, cloth weaving, and leatherworking. All the products are sold at the Center and in every branch of Chitlada Store.

National Museum

A branch of the National Museum, also known as Chao Sam Phraya Museum, is located on Rojana Road and is open daily except Mondays and Tuesdays. On display in the museum is a remarkable collection of Buddhist art, mostly Ayutthayan, as well as the treasure found in Wat Raja Burana, which, besides the famed gold objects, comprises a collection of small well-preserved Buddha images of exquisite workmanship. Worthy of mention also are a set of painted banners with religious subjects and a lacquered book cabinet decorated with a representation of the Buddhist cosmos.