Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (city) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya พระนครศรีอยุธยา Principality of Ayutthaya
City Municipality
City of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya เทศบาลนครพระนครศรีอยุธยา
Seal
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Location in Thailand
Country	Thailand
Province	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
District	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Named for	Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India
Government
• Type	City Municipality
Area
• Total	14.84 km2 (5.73 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	50,830
• Density	3,425.2/km2 (8,871/sq mi)
	Registered residents only
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)
Postcode	13xxx
Area code	(+66) 35
Website	ayutthayacity.go.th/

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (Thai: พระนครศรีอยุธยา, pronounced [pʰráʔ ná(ʔ).kʰɔ̄ːn sǐː ʔā.jút.tʰā.jāː]; also spelled "Ayudhya"), or locally and simply Ayutthaya, is the former capital of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located on an island at the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rivers, Ayutthaya is the birthplace of the founder of Bangkok, King Rama I.

Etymology

Ayutthaya is shown in the Fra Mauro map of the world (approximately 1450 CE, with south at the top) under the name "Scierno", derived from the Persian "Shahr-i Naw", meaning "New City"

Ayutthaya is named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana (Thai, Ramakien); phra (from Khmer: preah ព្រះ ) is a prefix for a noun concerning a royal person; nakhon designates an important or capital city (from Sanskrit: nagara); the Thai honorific sri or si is from the Indian term of veneration Shri.

History

Ayutthaya skyline, photographed by John Thomson, early 1866

Prior to Ayutthaya's traditional founding date, archaeological and written evidence has revealed that Ayutthaya may have existed as early as the late 13th century as a water-borne port town. Further evidence of this can be seen with Wat Phanan Choeng, which was founded in 1324, 27 years before Ayutthaya's official foundation.

Ayutthaya was officially founded in 1351 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lopburi and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya Kingdom or Siam. It is named after the ancient Indian city of Ayodhya, synonymous with Rama, the 7th incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu. Ayutthaya became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. It is estimated that Ayutthaya by the year 1600 had a population of about 300,000, with the population perhaps reaching 1,000,000 around 1700, making it one of the world's largest cities at that time, when it was sometimes known as the "Venice of the East".

In 1767, the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom. The ruins of the old city are preserved in the Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognised internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins, characterised by the prang (reliquary towers) and gigantic monasteries, give an idea of the city's past splendour. Modern Ayutthaya was refounded a few kilometres to the east.

Population

Since 2005, the population of Ayutthaya has been declining.

Geography

The city is about 40 miles (64 km) north of Bangkok.

Climate

Ayutthaya, located in the central plains, is affected by three seasons:

• Hot Season: March – May
• Rainy season: June – October
• Cool season: November – February

Ayutthaya City Sites

Notable cultural sites

Name	Picture	Built	Sponsor(s)	Notes
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon		1357	King Ramathibodi I	One of the most famous temples in Ayutthaya
Wat Mahathat		1374	King Borommaracha I
Wat Chai Watthanaram		1630	King Prasat Thong	One of the most famous temples in Ayutthaya
Wat Phanan Choeng		1324
Wat Phra Si Sanphet		1350	King Ramathibodi I
Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit		c. 1637 (restored c. 1742/20th century, on multiple occasions)	King Chairacha King Borommakot	Restored once or twice in the 18th century. Reduced to ruins after the Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. Restored in the 20th century.
Wat Na Phra Men		1503	King Ramathibodi II	One of the best preserved temples to survive after the Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. Restored during the reign of Rama III (r. 1824–51).
Wat Ratchaburana		1424	King Borommarachathirat II
Wat Pradu Songtham			Under royal patronage from King Songtham (r. 1611–28) until the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767	King Uthumphon entered the monkhood at this temple following his forced abdication in 1758
Wat Lokaya Sutharam		1452	King Intharacha
Wat Phra Ram		1369	King Ramesuan
Wat Phutthaisawan		Before 1350	King Ramathibodi I	Built before Ayutthaya was founded
Chedi Phukhao Thong		c. 1569, 1587 (rebuilt in 1744)	King (then-Prince) Naresuan King Borommakot	Built to commemorate a battle victory following Ayutthaya's liberation from Burma in 1584
Wat Thammikarat		Before 1350	King of Lavo	Built before Ayutthaya was founded
Wat Kudi Dao		1711 or earlier	Prince, later King Borommakot	A good example of 18th-century Late Ayutthaya wat architecture. Partially restored.

Museums

• Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre
• Chao Sam Phraya National Museum: The museum was specially display the objects excavated at Wat Racha Burana and Wat Maha That.

Other tourism sites

St. Joseph's Church

• Wang Luang
• Wat Suwan Dararam
• St. Joseph's Church
• Baan Hollanda

The city is located at the junction of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers, and on the main north–south railway linking Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The old city is on an island formed by a bend of the Chao Phraya on the west and south sides, the Pa Sak on the east side and the Klong Muang canal on the northern side.

The approximate centre of the old city is 14°20′N 100°34′E / 14.333°N 100.567°E / 14.333; 100.567.

Ayutthaya Night Market

The market offers a plethora of shopping opportunities, including a wide variety of food, clothing, and handicrafts. Visitors can enjoy traditional Thai dishes such as pad Thai, mango sticky rice, and tom yum soup, as well as a range of international cuisine. The market is also famous for its impressive array of souvenirs, including handmade bags, jewelry, and textiles. The atmosphere is lively and energetic, with street performers, music, and colorful lights adding to the festive ambiance.

The Floating Market of Ayutthaya

There is a lesser-known floating market in Ayutthaya called Klong Sabua which is more popular with Thai tourists than foreign travellers.

It's only open on weekends and public holidays from 10AM to 5.30PM. I have heard it was closed down for a while due to the floods in this part of the country – hopefully, it has re-opened by now.

The main attraction is a Water Theatre, said to be the only one of its kind in Thailand, featuring live performances of Thai folk tales and Sepaa musicals.

Transport

Ayutthaya railway station

Ayutthaya is accessible by air and rail.

Air

The closest airport is Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, a hub for regional budget carriers. An elevated walkway connects Terminal 1 to the Don Muang Train Station, where Ayutthaya-bound trains regularly roll through.

Rail

Trains to Ayutthaya leave Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Station approximately every hour between 04:20 am. and 10:00 pm. The 3rd class fare is 20 baht for the 1.5 hour trip. Train schedules are available from the information booth at Hua Lamphong Station, Bangkok.

In fiction

• A Thailand-themed town named "Ayothaya" appears in the personal computer MMORPG Ragnarok Online.
• Ayutthaya is a stage in Soul Calibur II.
• The temples in Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Ratchaburana from Ayutthaya appear in Street Fighter II, Kickboxer (as "Stone City"), Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat Annihilation, and throughout Mortal Kombat Conquest.
• The lying Buddha statue from the Ayutthaya ruins appears in Sagat's stage in most of the Street Fighter games.
• It was featured in the 2005 movie "The King Maker".
• The 1630 destruction of the Japanese quarter of Ayutthaya at the orders of Prasat Thong and its consequences is central to one of the stories in the 1632 series anthology Ring of Fire III, "All God's Children in the Burning East" by Garrett W. Vance.
• In the 2010 Nintendo DS game Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, the main characters visit the city of 'Ayuthay', which draws heavily on Thai culture and architecture.
• A Thailand-themed map named "Ayutthaya" appears in the video game Overwatch.
• Ayutthaya was featured in the 2016 video game Civilization VI as a non-playable city-state, boosting culture point generation in whichever civilization it is currently allied with.

Gallery

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  Elephants

• 

  Elephant

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  Buddhist monk in Ayutthaya

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  Wat Phra Si Sanphet

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  Mahathat, Ayutthaya historical park

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  Floating market of Ayutthaya

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  Thammikarat temple

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  Ayutthaya city centre at night

See also

In Spanish: Ayutthaya para niños

• Ayutthaya Historical Park