Ayutthaya: 20 Must See Attractions

By Anton Swanepoel

Ayutthaya: The Ancient Temple City of Thailand

Discover the Ancient city of Temples that was once the capital of Siam and the largest city in the world.
Walk among temples that was once described as the most magnificent temples in the world.

Magnificent towers reach to the sky around you as you step back into history. Slowly you walk past temples that was once part of the largest city in the world in the 1700s. An Ancient city filled with mysticism and over 400 temples and 3 golden laden palaces. Water canals, bridges and floating pavilions grace the area.

See the island city of Ayutthaya that was once the capital of Siam, and the trading hub of the world. With more than 90 attractions listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, you may be lost at what to see. Let world traveler and author, Anton Swanepoel guide you to the best attraction in this ancient city of wonders.

With this guide you will easily find your way to the best places and temples to see, and maximize your time in Thailand.

Covered in this book:

A short description of the ancient city Ayutthaya.
Entry fees and the operating times for attractions where applicable.
GPS Coordinates to attractions.
How to arrange your time to visit the best attractions.
20 Must see attractions plus 6 bonus attraction to see.

If you want to expand your Thailand adventure past Bangkok, then This Guide is For You

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Anton Swanepoel
• Release date: Jun 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310194054

Anton Swanepoel

Adventurer and world traveler, Anton Swanepoel, hales originally from Pretoria, South Africa, but has called a number of exotic locations home. Educated as a software engineer, he worked for a large multinational company before deciding to travel the globe. Along life's journey, Anton became a skilled scuba diver and technical diving instructor, teaching for seven years while living in the Cayman Islands. His resume touts Tri-Mix instructor levels from multiple licensing agencies, and dive records over 400 feet.Mr. Swanepoel has always loved travel and writing. In the past several years he's combined these passions, authoring and publishing a host of books, sharing secrets he's learned along the way. When he's not exploring an underwater landscape or racing a motorcycle down a stretch of highway, you'll find Anton visiting world destinations and chronicling his experiences.Today, he is a fulltime globetrotter and writer, having penned instructional guides for diving and travel, as well as a pair of fictional novels. His excurtion titles are geared toward do-it-yourself travelers, who enjoy saving money and seeing the out-of-way places. His favorite destinations include, Machu Picchu, the mountains of Vietnam, and the Temples at Angkor Wat.

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Ayutthaya

20 Must See Attractions

By Anton Swanepoel

Copyright © 2015 Anton Swanepoel

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Introduction

Ancient Ayutthaya, island city of temples, was the most famous and glorious city of its time. The city was founded on Friday, 4 March 1351 (according to the Luang Prasoet chronicle) by King Ramathibodi I. Ayutthaya became the second capital of Siam after Sukhothai. It is situated at the convergence of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi, and the Pa Sak Rivers. Together, these rivers surround the city of Ayutthaya. Siam, however, was not the first to see the beauty of this place, as the city of Ayutthaya was established near an ancient Khmer settlement that dates back before the 12th century.

Leaders from all around the world marveled at the splendor of this magnificent city. As the city grew and became the trading capital of Asia, Siam’s enemies looked on in envy. The city expanded at such a rate that by 1700, Ayutthaya was the largest city in the world. One million people called it home, and international trade from the Arab world, China, India, Japan, Portugal, the Netherlands, and France came to sell their wares and take exotic items back to their countries. At the time, the city is said to have had three palaces and over 400 temples.

Ayutthaya, with its golden-laden palaces and temples, caught the eye of European merchants, who proclaimed it to be the finest city they had ever seen. This new status took the envy of Siam’s enemies to new heights, and in 1767, after a 15-month siege, the Burmese army invaded Ayutthaya. They wasted no time bringing a city that was the regional power for 417 years to ruins. The hatred for the grand city the Burmese army had was so great that they spared nothing and burned the island city to the ground and took its riches away. Ayutthaya never recovered from this attack.

At its height of power in the 16th century, Ayutthaya’s territory extended into and beyond present-day Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Today, only a few of the over 400 temples and 3 palaces said to have graced the city are still standing. Most temples are only partially restored yet still impress visitors as they testify to the glorious days of the city. Situated approximately 90 km from Bangkok, many visitors to Bangkok take a day tour out to Ayutthaya to see one or two temples. This is actually sad, as the city deserves two or three days, at least, to really appreciate the splendor of some of the most magnificent temples in Thailand with a mix of Khmer and early Sukhothai styles.

In 1991, the historic city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and ongoing conservation and restoration are turning once ruins into magnificent temples.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Ayothaya Floating Market

Ban Pa-In Palace

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical Park

Night Market

Wat Chai Wattanaram

Wat Kasatrathirat Worawihan

Wat Khudeedao

Wat Lokaya Sutha/Large Reclining Buddha

Wat Ma Ha Tat/Face in the Tree

Wat Mahe Yong

Wat Mongkhon Bophit / Ancient Pool

Wat Na Phra Meru Rachikaram

Wat Rajaburana

Wat Phanan Choeng

Wat Phra Ram

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Wat Phu Khao Thong/H.M. King Naresuan

Wat Putthaisawan

Wat Suwan Daram