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Places
Of Interest 
Ancient Palace (Bang Pa-In)
Originally built for King U-Thong, each proceeding
dynasty added further buildings and pavilions to
create a spectacular collection of Buddhist temples
and shrines. Many were destroyed by the Burmese
in 1767 but some have been restored to their original
designs in recent years.
Wat Chai Mongkon
Stunning old style temple, typical of the Ayutthaya
style with excellent examples of Buddhist shrines.
Wat Suwan Daram
Beautiful old style temple, typical of the Ayutthaya
style.
Ayutthaya
Historical Centre
Totally devoted to the study of ancient Ayutthaya,
specifically the time as the capital. There is a
huge library and an excellent information service.
Wat
Na Phramen
This temple was recently fully restored and
is opposite the Ancient Palace. Many Kings came
here to pay homage to Buddha during their reign.
Two famous Buddhist statues are here, one in full
regal attire and the other carved from black stone.
The
Elephant Kraal
This was used for the capturing of wild elephants,
traditionally a sacred animal in Thai culture. Behind
the Kraal is the pavilion containing the official
Royal Seat.
Wat
Ratburana
During restoration in 1958 many ancient valuable
Buddha images and jewels were discovered here and
these can now be seen by the public.
Chankasem
Palace
Built by King Maha Thammaraja for his son,
Prince Naresuan. This, along with many other buildings,
was destroyed by the Burmese and was not restored
until recently.
Wat
Phra Si Aanphet
Within the grounds of the Royal Palace, this is
the most sacred of all Ayutthaya's temples.
The
16 metre Buddha statue was covered in gold by King
Rama II, but in 1767 the Burmese set fire to the
statue and melted off all the gold, destroying not
only the image, but the very heart of the temple.
In 1956 three Ceylonese-style chedis were restored.
These are home to the ashes of three Ayutthayan
Kings.
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