Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (city)


Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, or locally and simply Ayutthaya, is the former capital of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province in Thailand. It is located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River.

Etymology

Ayutthaya is named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana ; phra is a prefix for a noun concerning a royal person; nakhon designates an important or capital city ; the Thai honorific sri or si is from the Indian term of veneration Sri.

History

Ayutthaya was founded in 1351 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya kingdom or Siam. 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 and gigantic monasteries, give an idea of the city's past splendour. Modern Ayutthaya was refounded a few kilometres to the east.

Geography

The city is about north of Bangkok.

Climate

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

Notable cultural sites

Museums

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.

Transport

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 can catch one of the Ayutthaya-bound trains that 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