๐น๐ญ Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya ("Ayudhya"), or locally and simply Ayutthaya is the capital of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province of Thailand. Ayutthaya was the capital of the Ayutthaya kingdom. Located on an island at the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rivers, Ayutthaya is the birthplace of the founder of Bangkok, King Rama I. The ruins of the old city are preserved in the Ayutthaya Historical Park.
Etymology Ayutthaya is named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the Ramayana (Thai, Ramakien); phra (from Khmer: preah แแแแ) is a prefix for a noun concerning a royal person; nakhon designates an important or capital city (from Sanskrit: nagara); the Thai honorific sri or si is from the Indian term of veneration Shri.
History Prior to Ayutthaya's traditional founding date, archaeological and written evidence has revealed that Ayutthaya may have existed as early as the late 13th century as a water-borne port town. Further evidence of this can be seen with Wat Phanan Choeng, which was founded in 1324, 27 years before Ayutthaya's official foundation.
Ayutthaya was officially founded in 1351 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lopburi and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya Kingdom or Siam. It is named after the ancient Indian city of Ayodhya, synonymous with Rama, the 7th incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu. Ayutthaya became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. It is estimated that Ayutthaya by the year 1600 had a population of about 300,000, with the population perhaps reaching 1,000,000 around 1700, making it one of the world's largest cities at that time, when it was sometimes known as the "Venice of the East".
In 1767, the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom. The ruins of the old city are preserved in the Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognised internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins, characterised by the prang (reliquary towers) and gigantic monasteries, give an idea of the city's past splendour. Modern Ayutthaya was refounded a few km to the east.
Geography The city is about 40 miles (64ย km) north of Bangkok.
Culture: Museums โข Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre โข Chao Sam Phraya National Museum: The museum was specially display the objects excavated at Wat Racha Burana and Wat Maha That.
Other tourism sites โข Wang Luang โข Wat Suwan Dararam โข St. Joseph's Church โข Baan Hollanda
The city is located at the junction of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers, and on the main northโsouth 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 Muang canal on the northern side.
Ayutthaya Night Market The market offers a plethora of shopping opportunities, including a wide variety of food, clothing, and handicrafts. Visitors can enjoy traditional Thai dishes such as pad Thai, mango sticky rice, and tom yum soup, as well as a range of international cuisine. The market is also famous for its impressive array of souvenirs, including handmade bags, jewelry, and textiles. The atmosphere is lively and energetic, with street performers, music, and colorful lights adding to the festive ambiance.
The Floating Market of Ayutthaya There is a lesser-known floating market in Ayutthaya called Klong Sabua which is more popular with Thai tourists than foreign travellers.
The main attraction is a Water Theatre, said to be the only one of its kind in Thailand, featuring live performances of Thai folk tales and Sepaa musicals.
Transport: Air The closest airport is Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, a hub for regional budget carriers. An elevated walkway connects Terminal 1 to the Don Muang Train Station, where Ayutthaya-bound trains regularly roll through.
Transport: Rail Trains to Ayutthaya leave Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Station approximately every hour between 04:20 am. and 10:00 pm. The 3rd class fare is 20 baht for the 1.5 hour trip. Train schedules are available from the information booth at Hua Lamphong Station, Bangkok.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya has a population of over 50,830 people. Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya also forms the centre of the wider Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province which has a population of over 817,441 people.
To set up a UBI Lab for Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork
Twin Towns - Sister Cities Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya has links with:
๐ฑ๐ฐ Kandy, Sri Lanka๐ต๐ญ City of Muntinlupa 14.38
๐ต๐ญ City of Muntinglupa 14.38
๐ต๐ญ General Trias 14.386
๐ฌ๐น Villa Canales 14.389
๐ต๐ญ Muntinlupa 14.395
๐ธ๐ฉ Wad Madani 14.4
๐ต๐ญ Dasmariรฑas 14.327
๐ต๐ญ Santa Rosa 14.32
๐ต๐ญ Jose Panganiban 14.292
๐ต๐ญ Trece Martires 14.281
๐ต๐ญ Santa Cruz 14.268
๐น๐ญ Samut Prakan 100.711
๐น๐ญ Lam Luk Ka 100.733
๐ฎ๐ฉ Sawahlunto 100.777
๐น๐ญ Nonthaburi 100.517
๐ฒ๐พ Sungai Petani 100.491
๐น๐ญ Pathum Thani 100.483
๐ฒ๐พ Seberang Perai 100.467
Locations Near: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 100.55,14.3333
๐น๐ญ Pathum Thani 100.483,14.05 d: 32.3
๐น๐ญ Rangsit 100.617,13.983 d: 39.6
๐น๐ญ Bang Bua Thong 100.4,13.967 d: 43.9
๐น๐ญ Pak Kret 100.499,13.913 d: 47.1
๐น๐ญ Suphan Buri 100.117,14.467 d: 48.9
๐น๐ญ Lam Luk Ka 100.733,13.917 d: 50.4
๐น๐ญ Lopburi 100.627,14.8 d: 52.6
๐น๐ญ Nonthaburi 100.517,13.85 d: 53.9
๐น๐ญ Sao Thong Hin 100.417,13.865 d: 54
Antipodal to: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya -79.45,-14.333
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๐ต๐ช San Isidro -77.033,-12.083 d: 19653.1
๐ต๐ช Pisco -76.2,-13.717 d: 19657.8
๐ต๐ช Lima -77.033,-12.05 d: 19650.5
๐ต๐ช Villa El Salvador -77,-12.05 d: 19647.9
๐ต๐ช Chincha Alta -76.133,-13.45 d: 19643.9
๐ต๐ช Ancรณn -77.15,-11.733 d: 19633.4
๐ต๐ช Ica -75.733,-14.067 d: 19613.3