AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH


  • Home
  • Introduction
  • Temples & Ruins
    • Historical Park
    • City Island
    • Northern Area
    • Eastern Area
    • Southern Area
    • Western Area
    • Extra Districtum Urbis
  • Historical Sites
  • Sacred Sites
  • Historical Events
  • Disclaimer
  • Gateway



HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA



© 2009-2025
All rights reserved



NOTICE



End March 2021, Yahoo Inc. abandoned its offline SiteBuilder in favour of an online version. I have built this website for over ten years with the old version. As no tool had been provided to migrate the old version to the new platform, the website containing about 1000 pages needs to be rebuilt from scratch. The old web pages remained published on the Internet, so I created links to the most important sections in the division named "The Old Website". The sections in this division will remain posted as long as all the pages of that section are not renewed. Bear in mind that I cannot make any changes to the published pages of the old website. If you like the website or want to remain informed on Ayutthaya's history, join AHR on Facebook.



INTRODUCTION





-


more

TEMPLES & RUINS





This section displays all temples and temple ruins categorised into six sub-sections: the Ayutthaya Historical Park, the City Island, the eastern area off-island, the southern area off-island, the western area off-island, and the northern area off-island. All six sub-sections are part of the Ayutthaya City District, containing 21 sub-districts.


more

HISTORICAL SITES





This section displays all sites with historical value and part of the Ayutthaya City District, exempting the temples and temple ruins. This section has been in construction since 3 July 2024.


more

HISTORICAL EVENTS





This section represents the chronological events that occurred in the Ayutthaya Kingdom and its forerunner from the 12th century until the end of the 18th century. This historical timeline is intended for visitors who do not have the time to search the history for themselves. References to the source are provided.


more

SACRED SITES





This section displays the eight sacred sites outside the city of Ayutthaya, being the glory of the capital since olden times mentioned in the testimony of the imprisoned residents of Ayutthaya at Ava (Myanmar) after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 CE. This section has been in construction since February 2025.


more

SETTLEMENTS





(Later)


more

BUDDHAS OF AYUTTHAYA





(Later)


more

SIAMPEDIA





(Later)


more

THE OLD WEBSITE



HISTORICAL SITES





This section displays all sites with historical value and part of the Ayutthaya City District, exempting the temples and temple ruins.


more

SETTLEMENTS





This section displays all the foreign settlements of Ayutthaya: the Dutch, English, Portuguese, Japanese, French (Indo-Chinese) and Makassar.


more

ESSAYS





This section lists some essays concerning Ayutthaya.


more

GEO





This section shows interactive historical maps regarding the City of Ayutthaya and the Chao Phraya River pages on canals & waterways, streets & bridges and old areas of Ayutthaya and ancient cities.


more

SIAMPEDIA





Siampedia is a reference source containing articles on various topics related to the writings on this site, arranged in alphabetical order.


more

CITY EXPLORER





City Explorer introduces you to the various possibilities of surveying Ayutthaya and its surroundings.


more

Recent posts



PHRA NON JAK SRI



6-4-2025



In the "Testimony of the King from Wat Pradu Songtham," eight sacred places are listed outside the city of Ayutthaya, which have been the glory of the capital since ancient times. One of these eight places is Wat Phra Non Jak Sri, which features a reclining Buddha 47 meters long. The image of Phra Non Jak Sri is said to predate the Ayutthaya era (1351-1767 CE).


read more

Wat KHUN IN PRAMUN



2-5-2025



In the "Testimony of the king from Wat Pradu Songtham", eight sacred places are listed outside the city of Ayutthaya, the glory of the capital since olden times. One of these eight places is Wat Khun In Pramun, which features a reclining Buddha of 50 meters long, considered the largest in Thailand. The Buddha image is called "Phra Sri Mueang Thong” and has a similar appearance and size to the Phra Non Jak Sri in Sing Buri Province. It is assumed to have been built in the same period. The style of the reclining Buddha is a Sukhothai Buddha statue, which is similar to the Jak Sri reclining Buddha, but the base of the image is lower. The Buddha image is handmade and slender, while the face is more beautiful.


read more

EARTHQUAKES AND AYUTTHAYA



16-4-2025



The earthquake in Myanmar on 28 March 2025 CE and the tremors felt in some locations in Thailand are still fresh in the mind it is an opportunity to evaluate the impact on Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya is located within the Chao Phraya River basin, which is characterised by deep alluvial deposits. These soft sediments amplify seismic waves and increase ground shaking intensity during an earthquake, even if the epicentre is far from the area. Several fault lines crisscross Thailand, but not all pose a significant threat to Ayutthaya, which is not located on a major fault line. Ayutthaya has not experienced significant direct damage from earthquakes in recent history.

read more

PHRA PRATHON



16-3-2025



In the "Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the Palace", there are eight sacred places mentioned outside the city of Ayutthaya, being the glory of the capital since olden times. One of these eight places was Phra Prathon. Phra Prathon was in the centre of the legendary Dvaravati city of Nakhon Chai Sri and on the premises of present Wat Phra Prathon Chedi Worawihan in Phra Prathom Chedi Sub-district of Nakhon Pathom City District.


read more

AYUTTHAYA HIGHLIGHTS



Wat Racha Burana - also called the Monastery of the Royal Repairs or the Monastery of the Royal Restoration - is located on the city island in the central area of Ayutthaya in Tha Wasukri Sub-district. The temple is situated on the corner of the present Chikun Road and Naresuan Road, opposite Wat Maha That and near the former Pa Than bridge.


read more

Wat Phra Si Sanphet is situated on the city island in the Ayutthaya Historical Park in the Pratu Chai Sub-district. It has been registered as a national historic site by the Fine Arts Department since 5 March 1935 CE. This monastery was the most important temple of Ayutthaya and was situated within the Grand Palace grounds. It served as a model for the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok.


read more

Wat Phra Ram is a restored temple ruin located in the Ayutthaya Historical Park in Pratu Chai Sub-district situated close to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Sri Sanphet in a swampy area called Bueng Phra Ram. The monastery was constructed on the cremation site of the first Ayutthaya monarch, King Ramathibodi I (reign 1351-1369 CE).


read more

Wat Maha That, or the Monastery of the Great Relic, is located on the city island in the central part of Ayutthaya in the Tha Wasukri Sub-district. The temple is situated on the corner of the present Chikun Road and Naresuan Road.


read more

Wat Phukhao Thong, or the Monastery of the Golden Mount, is located off the city island in Thung Phukhao Thong, nearly three kilometres northwest of the centre of the city of Ayutthaya in the Phukhao Thong Sub-district. Thung Phukhao Thong is bordered on the west by the present Chao Phraya River, which occupied the bed of the Bang Kaeo River in the mid-19th century.


read more

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, or the Great Monastery of Auspicious Victory, is located off the city island in the southeast of Ayutthaya in the Phai Ling Sub-district. In the past, it bears other names such as Wat Pa Kaeo, Wat Chao Phraya Thai and Wat Yai Chaiya Mongkhon. Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is situated in or just outside an ancient city known as Ayothya.


read more

Wat Phutthaisawan, or the Monastery of Buddhist Kingship, is located in the southern area of Ayutthaya in the Samphao Lom Sub-district, on the south bank of the Chao Phraya River and east of Khlong Thakian. It is opposite the mouth of Khlong Chakrai Yai. The temple complex faces east towards the Khu Cham and is bordered on the north by the Chao Phraya River.


read more

Wat Chai Watthanaram, or the Monastery of the Temple for the Advancement of Victory, as Richard Cushman translate it, is a restored ruin situated off the city island in the western area of Ayutthaya in the Ban Pom Sub-district. The large monastery is located on the west bank of the present Chao Phraya River in front of the Siriyalai Palace, which is directly across the river.


read more