Ayutthaya (full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya) 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. Temples were set ablaze and Buddha's statues were decapitated. It was indeed a black day in the city's history.
Fast forward to the present. The ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya historic
al park, which is recognized internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.A full day's tour throughout the ruins would not be enough to grasp the greatness of the ancient city that now exist among the shadows of its ruins. Thais are proud to show off the ruins of a place that possessed such splendor. The ruins have become a photographer's haven and over a million tourists have visited the different temples.
If you're traveling in Thailand, don't let this place go unseen!
