Thailand - Ayutthaya 1
Photo Gallery of Ayutthaya in Thailand.
Ayutthaya is 80 km north of Bangkok. It's the ancient capital of Ayutthaya kingdom (1351 - 1767).
Since the king U-Thong established the kingdom, Ayutthaya flourished for about four hundred years. However, it suffered catastrophic damage by the attack of Burma (Myanmar) in 1767and the kingdom came to an end.
(After Ayutthaya kingdom, times changed and the capital of Thailand moved to Thonburi then the current Rattanakosin.)
In seventeenth century, vermilion-seal certificate trade was very active between Thailand and Japan, and it's said that a lot of Japanese people, eight hundred to three thousand, lived in Ayutthaya including Nagamasa Yamada who is famous in Japanese history.
(See Japanese town in Ayutthaya)
The Ayuttaya city is surrounded by Chao Phraya river (Menam Chao Phraya) and its branches. The old buildings were destroyed because of a lot of fights with Burma during the Ayutthaya period.
Ayutthaya is the first place I visited in Thailand except for Bangkok and one of my favorite places. Every time I go to Thailand, I want to visit there again. :)
Ayutthaya is 80 km north of Bangkok. It's the ancient capital of Ayutthaya kingdom (1351 - 1767).
Since the king U-Thong established the kingdom, Ayutthaya flourished for about four hundred years. However, it suffered catastrophic damage by the attack of Burma (Myanmar) in 1767and the kingdom came to an end.(After Ayutthaya kingdom, times changed and the capital of Thailand moved to Thonburi then the current Rattanakosin.)
In seventeenth century, vermilion-seal certificate trade was very active between Thailand and Japan, and it's said that a lot of Japanese people, eight hundred to three thousand, lived in Ayutthaya including Nagamasa Yamada who is famous in Japanese history.
(See Japanese town in Ayutthaya)
The Ayuttaya city is surrounded by Chao Phraya river (Menam Chao Phraya) and its branches. The old buildings were destroyed because of a lot of fights with Burma during the Ayutthaya period.
Ayutthaya is the first place I visited in Thailand except for Bangkok and one of my favorite places. Every time I go to Thailand, I want to visit there again. :)
[Ayutthaya] the city |
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| I visited Ayutthaya around four times by train, bus, or car. When I went there by train from Bangkok, it was a fun and relaxing trip on the way while feeling Thailand atmosphere, however on the way back to Bangkok, there was no room in a normal car and I had to ride in a cargo car with facing a lot of motorbikes. When I visited there by bus, I came back to Bangkok by kind of a big boat while enjoying scenery along the river. Hmmm, I really want to visit Ayutthaya again someday. :) |
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| Street (Streets are wide like this.) |
A little away (Country view will welcome you in the suburbs.) |
Surrounded (The city is surrounded by rivers.) |
The site (The archaeological site of the island is in the woods like this.) |
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| What are they ? (I saw something funny in the city. What are they ?) |
Tuk-tuk (A little different from those in Bangkok.) |
Huge dragon (I found a huge dragon and tower. Is this a Chinese temple ?) |
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[Ayutthaya] Wat Mahathat |
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There are various views but this temple, Wat Mahathat, was built by King Boram Rachathrat around 1374, the third king of Ayutthaya kingdom, then completed around 1390. It looks like Wat Mahathat was a royal monastery and very important
in Ayutthaya period.
There was a very high prang in Lopburi style, fifty meters,
at the center of the building, however, it collapsed and you cannot see
that these days.Not only in this area but buildings are destroyed because of the fight with Burma and most of Buddha images have no head. This place is famous for the head of a Buddha image held in a tree after a long time. |
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| Around the entrance (Not sure if this is the entrance but a Buddha image and a prang can be seen after a while walk.) |
The Prang at the center (Already collapsed. The picture right explains there was a tower, 50m, here.) |
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| Head of a Buddha image (The famous head of a Buddha image held in a tree.) |
Scenery of the temple (A lot of prangs around the center of the temple.) |
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| Buddha images (They have no head...) |
Around 1 | Blossoms (I don't know the name but very beautiful.) |
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Prang (Close-up of a prang. Is the shape called Lopburi style ?) |
| Around 2 | Around 3 | Around 4 | |
[Ayutthaya] Wat Yai Chai Mongkol and around there |
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| The third time I went to Ayutthaya, I visited Wat Yai Chai Mongkol (or
Mongkon). It was founded in 1357 in the reign of King U Thong (Ramathibodi I), the first king of Ayutthaya. |
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| Scenery 1 (From the parking lot outside of the temple grounds.) |
Scenery 2 (Around the entrance.) |
Explanation of "Reclining Buddha" ( See below ) |
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| Reclining Buddha 1 (The whole view) |
Reclining Buddha 2 (People praying.) |
Reclining Buddha 3 (Soles of feet of the Reclining Buddha) |
Reclining Buddha 4 (Reclining cat besides the Reclining Buddha. :D) |
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| Explanation (of Wat Yai Chai Mongkol. The details are bottom of the page.) |
The bell (In front of the board in the picture left.) |
Buddha statue (Buddha Statue are enshrined.) |
Tree with papers (A tree near the Buddha statue in the picture left. A lot of papers are twisted around the leaves. It must be by Japanese tourists. :D ) |
Explanation of "Reclining Buddha"
The Reclining Buddha image and its vihara were probably built in the reign of King Narasuan.
It was particularly used for worship and meditation. The present image was restored in A.D. 1965.
[Ayutthaya] Wat Yai Chai Mongkol (Chedi) |
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The magnificent chedi that stands out against the sky is the
" Wat Yai Chai Mongkol".
The Great Chedi Chaya Mongkhol@The Great Chedi Chaya Mongkhol was built by the command of King Naresuan the Great, to commemorate his decisive victory over the Burmese invasion in A.D. 1592. The event was climaxed in the momentous elephant combat between the King and the Burmese crown prince Maha Uparaja, in the province of Suparnburi the renown of King Narasuan was such that there was no more outside invasion for the following two hundred years. @Thus, the Great Chedi Serves as a symbol of prowess and sacrifice of the King and his soldiers, who with their national and religious devotion have brought about calm and peaceful assurance to the Thai people. |
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| Chai Mongkol 1 (Small chedis on the way to Chai Mongkol.) |
Chai Mongkol 2 (Distant view.) |
Chai Mongkol 3 (Distant view,) |
Chai Mongkol 4 (Close-up.) |
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| Chai Mongkol 5 (You can walk up the stairs.) |
Chai Mongkol 6 (Around Chai Mongkol. Buddha statues.) |
Chai Mongkol 7 (Around Chai Mongkol. Buddha statues.) |
Chai Mongkol 8 (View from Chai Mongkol.) |
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| Chai Mongkol 9 (View from Chai Mongkol.) |
Chai Mongkol 10 (View from Chai Mongkol.) |
Chai Mongkol 11 (View from Chai Mongkol.) |
Chai Mongkol 12 (Upstairs of Chai Mongkol.) |
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| Chai Mongkol 13 (Upstairs of Chai Mongkol.) |
Chai Mongkol 14 (Upstairs of Chai Mongkol.) |
Chai Mongkol 15 (From upstairs of Chai Mongkol.) |
Chai Mongkol 16 (From upstairs of Chai Mongkol.) |
[Ayutthaya] Wat Yai Chai Mongkol (Others) |
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| Flowers I found in this area. | |||
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| Flower (I don't know the name of it. ;) ) |
Flowers around the entrance (Same as a rare four-leaf clover in Japan, if you find five-leaf flower, you will be very lucky. :D I saw some people who was glad, finding five-leaf flowers. It looks people who look for five-leaf flowers are not so many in the picture above, but in fact, a lot of people were looking for under the sun. :) ) |
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The explanation board of Wat Yai Chaimongkhon, the details.
Initially, this monastery was constructed by King U-thong in 1900 B.E. to accommodate the monks that once were ordained from Phra Wanratana Mahathera Bureau in Ceylon. This denomination is called The Pakaew Group. Thereby this monastery was named "Wat Pakaew".
Many people because followers of this denomination and there were many monks ordered in the order so that Pakaws Group quickly because propous during this period.
Later on many people were faithful in this domination. Many of them were ordained the monks of this domination so that Pakaew Group became prosperous rapidly during that time.
Phra Rachathibodi then appointed the director of this sect as the right-sided patriarch named "Phra Wanratana" while "Phra Putthakosajam," held the position of the left-sided patriarch. Since the patriarch stayed here, this monastery was named Wat Chao Phayatai.
The ubosot of this monastery was the place where King Tianracha had prayed for the throne before he could beat Khun Worawongsathiraj, another candidate for the throne.
In 2135 B.E. in the reign of King Naraesuan the Great, Phra Maha Uparacha of Burma marched his army to Ayutthaya in order to take control over the Thai Kingdom. King Naresuan then marched his army to combat the invader. They met at Nong Sarai, Supan Buri district. King Naraesuan had a fight on elephant back with Phra Maha Uparacha. King Naresuan was able to kill his rival but he could not destroy the enemies army because his soldiers were further behind. King Naraesuan was full of rage when he came back to Ayutthaya and wanted the commanders to be executed because they were unable to follow him.
However, Phra Wanratana of Wat Pa Kaew asked him for the death penalty and suggested him to build a Chedi to celebrate the victory instead. King Naraesuan the Great then decided to construct a large Chedi in this monastery named Phra Chedi Chaimongkhon. This monastery became Wat Yai Chaimongkhon later on.
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