Mountains Of Travel Photos
Home | Bangkok Main | Bangkok References | Contact 

Bangkok Photo Gallery - 2. Ayutthaya

In July 2005, we traveled to Hong Kong, Tibet, Kathmandu, Bangkok and Singapore.

Bangkok 05 01 Ayutthaya Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophit Outside From its establishment in 1350 by King U-Thong (Ramathibodi I) until its fall to the Burmese in 1767, Ayutthaya was Thailand's capital and home to 33 kings and numerous dynasties. At its zenith and until the mid-18th century, Ayutthaya was a majestic city with three palaces and 400 splendid temples on an island threaded by canals -- a site that mightily impressed European visitors. Then, in 1767, after a 15-month siege, the town was destroyed by the Burmese and today there are but groups of crumbling ruins and rows of headless Buddhas where once an empire thrived. The temple compounds are still awe-inspiring even in disrepair and a visit here is memorable.

Bangkok 05 01 Ayutthaya Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophit Outside

Bangkok 05 02 Ayutthaya Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophit Buddha Statue Ayutthaya’s Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophit houses an immense 17m high sitting Buddha, made from brick and plaster and covered with bronze 3-4 inches stick. The Buddha is 12.45 metres high and his lap is 9.55 metres wide. Damaged and then repaired when the original viharn collapsed in the 18th century, this giant Buddha stood in the open for the next 200 years. One of the largest in Thailand, it was sculpted, according to the site guidebook, in 1538 at Wat Chichiang.

Bangkok 05 02 Ayutthaya Viharn Phra Mongkol Bophit Buddha Statue

Bangkok 05 03 Ayutthaya Wat Phra Si Sanphet Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the most beautiful, important and largest temple in the old capital of Ayutthaya. The three large chedis along its terrace recall the first three kings of Ayutthaya. The first two were built in 1492 and the third in 1540.

Bangkok 05 03 Ayutthaya Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Bangkok 05 04 Ayutthaya Wat Yai Chai Mongkol Great Chedi The great chedi at Wat Yai Chai Mongkol in Ayutthaya was built in 1592 to celebrate King Naresuan’s single-handed defeat of the then Burmese Crown Prince after an elephant back duel.

Bangkok 05 04 Ayutthaya Wat Yai Chai Mongkol Great Chedi

Bangkok 05 05 Ayutthaya Wat Yai Chai Mongkol Row of Buddha Statues There are many restored Buddha statues surrounding the chedi at Wat Yai Chai Mongkol in Ayutthaya.

Bangkok 05 05 Ayutthaya Wat Yai Chai Mongkol Row of Buddha Statues

Bangkok 06 01 Ayutthaya Wat Lokaya Sutha Reclining Buddha Full View Next to Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, Wat Lokaya Sutha, constructed at an unknown date, was largely destroyed when the city of Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese in 1767. Its name means

Bangkok 06 01 Ayutthaya Wat Lokaya Sutha Reclining Buddha Full View

Bangkok 06 02 Ayutthaya Wat Lokaya Sutha Reclining Buddha Close Up Here is a closer view of the 42m reclining Buddha statue, draped with a beautiful yellow robe.

Bangkok 06 02 Ayutthaya Wat Lokaya Sutha Reclining Buddha Close Up

Bangkok 06 03 Ayutthaya Bang-Pa In Summer Royal Palace Just 60km north of Bangkok, the current Bang-Pa In, the summer Royal Palace, dates from the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) when most of the buildings standing today were constructed. Today the palace is used occasionally by the King and Queen as a residence and for holding receptions and banquets. In the centre of a small lake at Bang-Pa In sits Aisawan Thiphya-Art, a pavilion with four porches and a spire roof. It is a copy of one in the Grand Palace.

Bangkok 06 03 Ayutthaya Bang-Pa In Summer Royal Palace

Bangkok 06 04 Ayutthaya Bang-Pa In Ho Withun Thasana Tower On the left at Bang-Pa In is the Ho (tower) Withun Thasana, an observatory built in 1881 as a lookout tower to view the surrounding countryside. On the right is the Wehart Chamron (heavenly light), a Chinese-style mansion, built by China and presented to the King in 1899. It has ornamented tile floors, massive ebony furniture, gold, silver, and porcelain.

Bangkok 06 04 Ayutthaya Bang-Pa In Ho Withun Thasana Tower

Bangkok 06 04 Ayutthaya Crusing Back To Bangkok After visiting Ayutthaya and Bang pa In, our tour boarded the River King Cruise with a delicious Thai buffet. We passed the time watching the river villages go by as we headed back to Bangkok.

Bangkok 06 04 Ayutthaya Crusing Back To Bangkok


This album has 10 items in total    |    Album was updated 2009-03-28 12:30    |    Generated by Jalbum 8.0, custom skin ExhibitPlus 1.5