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 Palaces
and Buildings
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Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Historical
Park |
There were three palaces in Ayutthaya: the Grand Palace, Chankasem
Palace or the Front Palace, and Wang Lang or the Rear Palace.
Grand Palace
Currently called “ The Ancient Palace”, this residential
dwelling for every king was located close to the city wall. Important
buildings inside the Grand Palace compound are:
Wihan Somdet Hall The hall was
decorated with gold leaf and surrounded by cloisters. It was used
for various royal ceremonies including coronations.
Sanphet Prasat Hall This building,
in the same design as Wihan Somdet Hall, was used by the king to
welcome foreign envoys and visitors.
Suriyat Amarin Hall A four-gabled
building of sandstone and brick, it is close to the riverside city
wall. It was used for observing the royal barge processions.
Chakkrawat Phaichayon Hall This
three-gabled hall is on the inner eastern city wall in front of
the Grand Palace. It was used to view processions and military exercises.
Trimuk Hall Located behind the Sanphet Prasat Hall, this hall is
believed to have been the royal consorts’ living quarters with
a regal leisure garden.
Banyong Rattanat Hall This four-gabled hall is located on an island
in a pond at the back of the Grand Palace.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet Originally used as a royal chapel. This large
temple compound contains a line of three tall chedis. This line
of chedis has become widely identifiable with the Ayutthaya style.
Wihan Phramongkhon Bophit Phra Mongkhon Bophit, a large bronze
cast Buddha image, was originally enshrined outside the Grand Palace
to the east, but later transferred to the west and covered. In the
1767 sacking of Ayutthaya, the building and the image were badly
damaged by fire; the renovated ensemble is not as finely crafted
as the original. The open area east of the Wihan was formerly Sanam
Luang, where the royal cremation ceremonies took place.
Wat Phraram This monastery is
situated next to a pond, outside the Grand Palace compound to the
east, with a pond in front. King Ramesuan had it built where King
U-Thong’s royal cremation ceremony took place. It now also
functions as Phra Ram Public Park.
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Wat Phraram
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Wat Phra Si Sanphet
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Wat Ratchaburana
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Wat Mahathat
Wat Mahathat |
Located in front of the Grand Palace to the east near Pa Than Bridge,
this temple was constructed in King Borom Rachathirat I’s reign.
Wat Ratchaburana
This temple is located near Pa Than Bridge opposite Wat Mahathat.
King Borom Rachathirat II commanded two Chedis built where Chao
Ai and Chao Yi engaged in elephant-back combat during which both
were killed. Later, he added a wihan so as to create a temple.
Suan Somdet
Wat Yai Chaimongkhon or Wat Chao Phraya
Thai |
Situated on U-Thong Road to the southwest of the city, this is
a large public park with a display of various plants referred to
in Thai literature.
Chankasem or Front Palace
This palace beside the Pasak River was built by King Maha Thammaracha,
the 17th Ayutthaya monarch, as a residence for his son. Like other
ruins, it was destroyed in 1767 by the Burmese and abandoned. In
the mid-19th century, King Rama IV ordered it rebuilt as a residence
for his occasional visits to Ayutthaya. Some of the more interesting
sites are:
City Wall and Gate These were
newly constructed by King Rama IV. The original foundations have
since been discovered, revealing that the original area was much
larger.
Phlapphla Chaturamuk This wooden
four-gabled pavilion is near the east gate of the palace and was
a residence of King Rama IV during his visits to Ayutthaya.
Phiman Rattaya Hall A group of
buildings located amidst the compound of the Grand Palace which
once served as government offices.
Phisai Sanyalak Hall This is a
four-storey tower located close to the western side of the Grand
Palace. First built under King Narai the Great, but destroyed during
the second fall of Ayutthaya. It was reconstructed by King Rama
IV as an observatory. The palace is now used as a national museum
displaying china, weapons, Buddha images, sculptures and votive
tablets of different times, and personal effects of King Rama IV.
Open daily 9.00 a.m.-4.00 p.m. except Monday, Tuesday and national
holidays.
Wat Senasanaram
This ancient temple as Wat Sua is behind Chankasem Palace. The main
attractions are two Buddha images: Phra Samphuttha Muni, the principal
image enshrined in the Ubosot, and Phra In Plaeng enshrined in the
Wihan. Both were taken from Vientiane.
Wat Suwandaram Ratchaworawihan
This is a temple within the royal compound, located to the southwest
near Pom Phet Fort. Originally called Wat Thong, it was extended
and restored several times under the Chakri kings. The upper murals
in the Ubosot depict the gathering of the deities, and the lower
ones depict stories from the life of the Buddha. The front wall
shows the Buddha subduing evil. Within the Wihan, King Naresuan
the Great is depicted.
Wang Lang or the Rear Palace
Situated close to the western city wall, this palace was originally
a royal garden with only one residential building. King Maha Thammaracha
had more buildings built, and it became the palace of King Ekathosarot.
Later, it became a residence for royal family members.
Chedi Phra Si Suriyothai
This memorial to the first heroine in Thai history is located at
Ko Mueang to the west. Suriyothai was King Maha Chakkraphat’s
consort. In 1548, he went to repel a Burmese invasion. During the
fighting on elephant back, the king was in trouble and Suriyothai,
clad as a warrior, rode her elephant at the Burmese commander, and
was cut to death by his sword. The king had her cremated at a place
which became named “Wat Suanluang Sopsawan”. In King Rama
V’s reign, after a quest for the historical site, the exact
location of Wat Suanluang Sopsawan was identified with a large indented
stupa, renamed Chedi Phra Si Suriyothai. In 1990, the Chedi was
restored.
Wat Lokkayasutha
This temple adjacent to Wat Worachettharam features a large reclining
Buddha, of stucco-clad brick, 29 m. long. Large hexagonal pillar
ruins are thought to be of the Ubosot.
Wat Kasattrathirat Worawihan
This temple is located outside Ko Mueang, opposite Chedi Phra Si
Suriyothai, beside the Chao Phraya River. It has a prang as its
centre.
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Wat Chaiwatthanaram
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Wat Na Phramen
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Wat Chaiwatthanaram
Also located beside the river, on the west of the city island, this
temple was built by King Prasat Thong in a Khmer-influenced style
with a main stupa and lesser stupas along the gallery. It can be
reached by river from Chankasem Palace.
Wat Phutthaisawan
This temple is situated on the river bank opposite Ko Mueang to
the south, in the area where King U-Thong established his city.
The most interesting feature is the great principal
Buddha image of the early Ayutthaya Period.
Portuguese Village
The Portuguese Village or Mu Ban Protuket is located at Samphao
Lom, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River to the south of the
city. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to trade with the
Ayutthaya Kingdom, sending a diplomatic mission to King Ramathibodi
II’s court in 1511. The Portuguese also came as military volunteers
in the Ayutthaya’s army and
as Christian missionaries, and they settled at this site. Remains
of San Petro, a Dominican church, and some objects such as tobacco
pipes, coins and religious items have been found here.
Wat Phukhao Thong
Located 2 km. northeast of the Grand Palace, this temple was constructed
in 1387 under King Ramesuan.
Elephant Kraal and Pavilion
The kraal and pavilion is located 4 km. from the city along Highway
309. The kraal is formed by a circular teak stockade and earthen
wall which was created in 1957. The enclosure was used to pen wild
elephants for battle training, while being observed by royalty and
other spectators. The king used the pavilion as his vantage point.
Wat Na Phramen
Located on the bank of Khlong Sabua opposite the Grand Palace, this
temple of unknown age is of a very old typical Thai style. Most
interesting is the principal Buddha image in regal attire and another
image in the small Wihan, made of black stone.
Wat Kudidao
Located in front of the railway station, this old temple features
superb, though deteriorated, decorative craftsmanship.
Wat Samanakottharam
Located near Wat Kudidao, this old temple’s main attraction
is a large prang having an unusual aspect. It is believed to be
based on Chedi Chet Yot at Chiang Mai.
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