The Ruins at Ayutthaya, part 1

On our first day out of the big city we found ourselves in Ayutthaya.

Just a couple of hours outside of Bangkok,  Ayutthaya really couldn't feel any different from the capital.  Where Bangkok was huge, and loud and intimidating,  Ayutthaya was quiet, and calm, and filled with history. *

Founded in 1350, by King U Thong, Ayutthaya was the second capital of Siam (Thailand before it became the country we recognise today). Its geographical location made it an important trade hub both within Asia, and also the wider world. Indeed, by the 1700's it is beleived to have been the largest city in the world.

Sadly, the city was sacked in 1767 by the Burmese, leaving nothing but the ruins the city is so famous for today.

On our first day in the city we headed out on foot to explore those ruins closest to the new city.

Wat Phra Mahathat

Built in 1374, Wat Mahathat was right on the edge of the ruined town,  so is one of the easiest to visit. The complex was probably one of the largest we visited, and it contained the largest amount of surviving architecture.

The biggest draw for most tourists is the Buddha head, which has been absorbed into the root system of a huge Bodhi tree (the same species under which the Buddha is beleived to have achieved enlightenment).

Besides that, the complex contains a central Prang surrounded by 4 secondary Prangs, and a number of smaller Chedis,  all constructed in the traditional Khmer style.

The complex also provides good acess into the Phra Ram Park,  inside which are the remains of further temples, too ruined to be worth charging to see, but still worth a gander if you have the time.

Through the park we discovered serveral things that excited us.. Firstly,  elephant's!! And also, more ruins, yay! (At this point in the trip, we were pretty new to the ruins, and this being only the second we'd seen, it was pretty exciting stuff..)

Wat Phra Ram

Whilst the construction date, and reason for construction of this temple appear to be unclear, it is undeniable that it must once have been a fairly spectacular sight. Consisting of a central Prang, and several Chedis,  it is still worth a quick visit, especially if you're still new to the sight of a crumbling red brick tower, framed perfectly against a bright blue sky.

Much Love,

Jess

xxxx

*and dogs. It was also full of dogs. Everywhere.  Especially at night. A lot of people have offered advice on ways to stay safe in the city, but to be honest,  so long as we stuck to the main streets, we never felt too threatened (we noticed that they did tend to gather in packs down the side streets,  and guarded those spaces more fiercely than the main streets).