Ayutthaya eGuide

Just 80 kilometers north of Bangkok is the old Siamese capitol of Ayutthaya. The city became the capital in the mid-fourteenth century and remained so until the late eighteenth century, when the Burmese attacked and sacked the city. Now a world heritage site, the city makes an excellent day trip from Bangkok, and an even better two or three day escape from the big city for those interested in a deeper understanding of Thai history.

The Ayutthaya period is looked on by many as the time when much of what is now thought of as "Thai style" was developed. Around Ayutthaya are signs of the Japanese, French, Dutch and Portuguese traders that came to the Thai court.

Although usually visited as part of a packaged day trip from Bangkok, there's actually a lot to see in the ancient city, for those with a keen interest in art, architecture and archeology. This ebook guide provides detailed information about all the sights of the world heritage site.