Ayutthaya – Chedis by the Moonlight
Our bus arrived late in Ayutthaya. Short on time, we scrambled on our bikes to tour the city at dusk. That was one happy accident.
The ruins at twilight were breathtaking. The colours, vibe and atmosphere were unreal, like a dream.
Wat Phukhao Thong (เจดีย์ภูเขาทอง)
When the western world first discovered Siam, Ayutthaya was the capital city.
During the 17th century, Ayutthaya was one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the world. The ambassadors of King Louis XIV felt its size and scale was comparable to Paris.
In 1767, the kingdom of Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. A fleeing general gathered the remaining forces to a small garrison town called Thonburi where he made himself king and established a new kingdom.
Today, that town is known as Bangkok.
Ayutthaya’s ruins are now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Unlike Sukhothai, the ruins are much bigger and better preserved, but scattered all over the city—hence the bikes.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram (วัดไชยวัฒนาราม)
Designed in the Khmer style (inspired by Angkor Wat), the princes and princesses of Ayutthaya were cremated in this royal Buddhist temple.
Wat Phra Sri Sanphet (วัดพระศรีสรรเพ็ชญ์)
Near the Grand Palace, this is the king’s private chapel. The three Sri Lankan-style chedis enshrine the ashes of three Ayutthayan kings.
Wat Ratchaburana (วัดราชบุรณะ)
Couldn’t get near this one!
At this point, it was too dark to see anything. We decided to continue the next day.
