When was ayutthaya the capital of thailand

In addition to trading, the waterways that surrounded the city were useful in terms of protecting it, creating a watery fortress of sorts. The city was named by the same man who made Ayutthaya the capital: King Ramathibodi. The old capital of Thailand came to a brutal end when it was attacked by the Burmese. Much of the city was devastated by fire, and those who were not killed were taken by the Burmese and forced into slavery.

The city fell in Most of the city was destroyed, and what is left of these relics and temples are still found in Ayutthaya today, of which there are about All of the ruins found in Ayutthaya today took about years to complete in total.

Many of the palaces were made of wood which did not withstand the fires that destroyed the capital — which is why mainly stone temples remain. There are also instances of Khmer architecture, as the capital started out as a Khmer military and trading outpost. Since then, the ancient city has been squeezed into busy Thailand travel itineraries and makes a great day trip for those who have a few days in Bangkok.

It is here they will find buses to Ayutthaya. The budget for the conservation and development of the Historic City of Ayutthaya is allocated by the Government and the private sector. This will bring other important ancient monuments, some of which are outside of the presently-inscribed area under the same protection and conservation management afforded to the current World heritage property.

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By Properties. Cultural Criteria: i ii iii iv v vi Natural Criteria: vii viii ix x. Category Cultural Natural Mixed. All With videos With photo gallery. Country Region Year Name of the property. Without With. Historic City of Ayutthaya Founded c. Historische stad Ayutthaya Ayutthaya werd omstreeks gesticht en was de tweede Siamese hoofdstad na Sukhothai. Integrity The integrity of the property as the ruins of the former Siamese capital is found in the preservation of the ruined or reconstructed state of those physical elements which characterized this once great city.

Authenticity The Historic City of Ayutthaya is well-known from historical records. Protection and management requirements The Historic City of Ayutthaya is managed as a historical park. News 4. Events 1. WebGL must be enable, see documentation. Media Activities News Events Links. Even some of the original paintings still exist on underground palace walls. After initial excavation as an archaeological site, and then being designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, much care has been taken to restore, preserve, and reconstruct the remains of the once-great city.

Wherever known ruins of the ancient city had been built over in modern days, they are now uncovered. A lot is known about the layout due to the extensive and accurate maps, along with historical records, created back when it was originally built.

In spite of its protected location and massive defenses, the Burmese army invaded in and razed the city to the ground. It was abandoned and never rebuilt, and the Siamese Kingdom moved to establish a new capital city downstream: present-day Bangkok. Note that few people speak English here, and many of the tourist maps given out are inaccurate, so these things can be a bit of a challenge. Because it is now an archaeological site and the temples are no longer functional, there is no dress code, but respect for the local customs is still advised.

Most of the structures that can be entered are free, although a few charge a small fee such as 50 baht. Some of the major sites to visit include:.

This is the largest temple in Ayutthaya, used only for religious ceremonies. The royal palace can be accessed from here though little remains of it. This is also where the Buddha head wrapped in the roots of a tree the can be found. One of the few working temples today, in spite of the missing roof and huge tree growing in its side.

There is also a reclining Buddha hall. This is noted for the white and gold chedi that was built as a memorial to an ancient Siamese queen. There are many other wats and sites to see, including the Phet Fortress, which has nice views of the river.