:
For other meanings see Ayutthaya.Ayutthaya (full name
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, , ; also spelled "Ayudhya") city is the capital of
Ayutthaya province in
Thailand. The city was founded in 1350 by King
U-Thong, who came here 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 was named after the city of
Ayodhya in
India, the birthplace of
Rama in the
Ramayana (
Thai,
Ramakien). In 1767 the city was destroyed by the
Burmese army, and the ruins of the old city now form the
Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognized internationally as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was refounded a few kilometers to the east.
It is estimated that Ayutthaya around 1600 had a population of about 300,000, and even 1,000,000 around 1700, making it one of the world's largest cities at the time.
Ayutthaya Town Center
- Ayutthaya Historical Study Center
- Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
- Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit
Ruins of Ayutthaya, Thailand
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 Maung canal on the northern side.
Approximate centre of the old city:
The Empire was actually brought down in 1767 by the Burmese destruction of Ayudhya.
Media
Short video showing highlights of Ayutthaya
In popular culture
- Ayutthaya is one of the background scenes in Capcom vs SNK2
