Traveling to Thailand if you are too familiar with the busy streets of the modern capital of Bangkok, come back to Ayutthaya to find peace and quiet in your soul and immerse yourself in the nostalgic space – where It was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1991.
Visit the golden remains of the ancient citadel of Ayutthaya
In the past, Ayutthaya was a brilliant capital with a developed agriculture and prosperous trade relations with the countries of the East and the West. Today, traveling to Thailand to Ayutthaya you will find the vestiges of a glorious dynasty still here. These are stupas holding relics (prang) and large monasteries. Most of the remains are either palaces built of stone or pagodas built of bare red bricks.
Ayutthaya was chosen as the capital for strategic reasons: the city was surrounded on all sides by artificial rivers and canals, creating a solid barrier for the capital. Inside the capital to the northwest is the palace and the temple of Wat Phra Si Sanphet. These two buildings respectively play the role of the political and spiritual center of the kingdom.
To the east of the present-day palace is Ayutthaya Historical Park, home to four temples typical of the Pre-Ayutthaya period (1350-1529). Here, the great sandstone spire rises high among the ancient trees and surrounding ruins, featuring Lopburi-Khmer architecture.
Temples and ruins of the most exquisite structures can be found along the river, along the city walls. Wat Na Phramen located in the north is the only temple in Ayutthaya that is still intact after the fierce battle. In the east of the city, there are clusters of meticulously preserved ruins, while in the south are traces of foreign cultures that have been introduced into this land.
Some ruins attract Thai tourists to Ayutthaya
The Buddhist park is located on an island surrounded by three major rivers, Chao Phraya, Mae Nam Lop Buri and Pasak, featuring three temples: Wat Phra Ram, Wat Mahathat, Wat Chaiwatthanaram.
Wat Phra Ram Temple
Under the quiet space of golden sunshine, Wat Phra Ram is now only a ruin with ruined red brick towers mixed with black burnt streaks, like traces left from the destruction of distant wars. Perhaps it was the desolation along with a series of burned and decapitated statues that created a contemplative feature for Wat Phra Ram.
Inside the relic room, the walls are decorated with paintings depicting the Buddha sitting on a throne with beautiful motifs forming a frame around the picture. The corridors surrounding the temple are connected to the end of the lecture hall and the main hall, which is an early architectural style of Ayutthaya.
Wat Mahathat . Temple
Like the temple of Wat Phra Ram in Ayutthaya, Wat Mahathat has rows of decapitated Buddha statues and peeling red brick walls, bearing the stamp of time. Moreover, Wat Mahathat temple is also very famous with the Buddha’s face wrapped in tree roots with a peaceful spirit, always smiling looking at all the changes and rhymes of history as an inevitable thing. The Buddha head that was once part of a sandstone Buddha statue fell off the main body and fell to the ground while the main body part of the statue disappeared. Gradually the roots of the Bodhi tree grew to embrace the head of the Buddha image.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram Temple
Wat Chaiwatthanaram is one of the most beautiful brick temples in Ayutthaya with massive and splendid architecture. This is also an ideal place to watch the sunset over the Chao Praya River. Wat Chaiwatthanaram is surrounded by three rounds of brick walls, however the first and second wall rings are mostly damaged, only the third wall ring where the backrests of 120 headless Buddha statues remain, or have been restored. and still retain the original features.
Tips for walking around the old citadels
Visiting Ayutthaya on a bicycle is the best experience for a day in this ancient capital. The roads are smooth, and the distance between the temples is not too far. You can rent a bicycle for 50-70 baht/day (about 31,000 – 43,000 VND). Some shops will also lend you car keys. The excursion is at least 20km long and the daytime temperatures in this city are quite high. You can also rent a motorbike for about 300-400 Baht/day (about 187,000-250,000 VND) for a scooter.
If you want to “change the wind”, walk around the citadel on tuk-tuks. The type of tuk-tuk in Ayutthaya is larger than in Bangkok, enough room for an entire family of 6 to sit comfortably. Only registered drivers have the right to pick up passengers at the platform. A list with pictures of these “experts” is posted on the “Tourist Officials” sign at the south end of the platform. They work on a fixed price list, usually 300 baht / hour (about 187,000 VND), but you can show your bargaining skills to get a little discount.
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