Ayutthaya - Historical Sites

Ayutthaya Historical Park

The Ayutthaya Historical Park is the main focus of the archaeological sites at Ayutthaya - it is situated on an island surrounded by three rivers, and is a UNESCO world heritage center.

There are a total of 95 sites of interest on the island alone, 67 of which are temples (some of which have been restored) as well as other buildings including several royal palaces.

Wat Mahathat

A statue located right in the middle of Wat Mahathat

• Constructed in 1374, Wat Mahathat is one of Ayutthaya’s oldest and most eminent temples

• This temple was the symbolic heart of the city where the Buddha’s relics were enshrined.

• It was in the crypt of Wat Mahathat that some of the most important archaeological artifacts were found during the 1950s. It is also believed that the head of the Buddhist monks resided here, and it was here that important royal ceremonies and celebrations took place.

• Famous for a mysterious Buddha statue with its face overgrown by tree roots, this temple offers some great photo opportunities.

Wat Ratchaburana

• Built during the 15th century, Wat Ratchaburana is distinctive due to its huge central towers which juts massively skyward.
• This temple features some impressive architectural features, with an ordination hall and a large assembly hall making up part of the complex.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

• Three large structures shaped like bells sit in a row on a raised platform in the centre of the temple, and these are the burial place of members of the royal family.

Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit

• Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit is a bustling temple where modern Thais regularly come to worship the enormous Buddha statue named Phra Mongkhonbophit.

• The statue was originally commissioned by King Chairachathirat in the 1500s and was moved to its current site in the 1600s. It has been restored several times during its history due to lightning and fire damage.

Wat Chaiwatthanaram

• Wat Chaiwatthanaram is a royal temple in the Khmer style.

• The ashes of the king who built it in 1630 (King Prasat Thong) are safely entombed in two of the chedis on the site.

• A 35 metre high central tower is surrounded by smaller towers and a gallery — all of which are remarkably well preserved — and there are some beautiful stone carvings here, as well as the remains of stucco work and painted murals inside the temple itself.