Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya, also known as Ayudhya, is a historic city in central Thailand that served as the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1350 to 1767. It is located at the confluence of the Chao Phraya River and several tributaries, forming an islanded landscape that supported a fortified and cosmopolitan center. Today it is part of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.

The city developed as a major international trading hub, attracting merchants from China, India, Persia, Japan, and later European powers. The royal court fostered a multicultural environment, blending Khmer, Sukhothai, and other Southeast Asian influences in its architecture and urban layout. The kingdom reached its height in the 15th and 16th centuries before a gradual decline in the following century.

In 1767, the Burmese army captured and destroyed Ayutthaya, ending the kingdom’s era as a regional power. The city was largely abandoned, leaving behind extensive ruins that are preserved as archaeological remains rather than a living capital.

Ayutthaya was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 as Ayutthaya Historical Park. The park preserves hundreds of temple ruins, chedis, and prangs, including notable sites such as Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mahathat, and Wat Ratchaburana. Today, Ayutthaya is a major tourist and research site, offering insight into the urban planning, religious life, and international trade networks of a significant Southeast Asian kingdom.