Ayutthaya as capital

Ayutthaya was originally founded in 1350 and over the next few decades developed to be the capital of the Siamese Kingdom. Ayutthaya is like and island surrounded by three rivers that act as natural barriers for defense. In addition, the rivers brought large and small boats from other important towns in the kingdom and from other nations to engage in commerce. Ayutthaya was both the administrative and the economic center of the kingdom and was filled with a great diversity of people from different areas.

A map of Ayutthaya drawn by a foreign visitor in the seventeenth century seems quite realistic. It shows a neat grid of streets and canals dividing sections of the city into the royal palace areas, government buildings, royal temples and common temples, residential areas, and markets that warranted the city's nickname of "Venice of the East."

Maps of Ayutthaya
Map of Ayutthaya in 1686.
The shape of the city-island is not very accurate but it clearly shows the locations of important landmarks in the city and along the waterways.

Map of Ayutthaya drawn by an English mapmaker in the seventeenth century.
This map gives a fairly accurate representation of the city, its waterways, and the locations of important places. Map of Ayutthaya in 1680 The rivers, canals, and roads in the city are very accurately drawn. Map of Ayutthaya in 1693. This map was drawn by de la Loubere, the French Ambassador during the reign of King Narai. It shows the general shape of the city and the surrounding areas where foreign enclaves were located.

Wat Chai Wattanaram Temple
Wat Chai Wattanaram Temple symbolizes the pinnacle of the art of the Ayutthaya period. It was built during the reign of King Prasat Thong at a time when the kingdom was quite stable and Ayutthaya was a thriving international center of commerce, It was built near the end of the Ayutthaya period, so it shows the degree of recovery of the kingdom after the first time it was sacked. The main stupa of the temple is built to model Sumerumart, of the Golden Mountain, the spiritual center of the universe, surrounded by lesser mountains, reflecting the influence of the art of the ancient Khmer kingdom.

Buddha image in Royal Regalia
The dressing of a Buddha image in royal regalia demonstrates the Buddha's status as emperor of the universe. This custom began before the Ayutthaya period but was revived in the reign of King Prasat Thong to show the king's great merit and his status as a universal ruler. Several such Buddha images were made, but the most impressive is that at Wat Na Phra Meru Temple.

Wat Mahathat Temple
Wat Mahathat Temple is a symbol of Ayutthaya as a religious center. It follows a tradition that began before the Ayutthaya period of having a central stupa containing a fragment of the remains of the Lord Buddha as the main spiritual center of every city. Royal religious ceremonies were held there. The stupa was also an important place of worship for all, who visited the city. The stupa pictured here takes the form of a prang (corncob shaped stupa) modeled after that of Prasart Khom in Lopburi.

The Grand Palace
The ruined palace of Ayutthaya is the first Grand Palace of Siam, designed in the seventeenth century. It served as the model for the building of the Grand Palace of the Rattanakosin Era, or the period after the capital was relocated to Bangkok. The Grand Palace was the center of government and a symbol of the prosperity of the kingdom. The Grand Palace of Ayutthaya had three layers of walls surrounding it. The innermost area was the residence of the royal family and the most important royal officials. Outside this were throne halls, reception areas, and government buildings for carrying out important ceremonies and the business of government. In the outer area one of the royal temples was located.

The Elephant Kraal
During the Ayutthaya period elephants were used in war. Ayutthaya was continually involved in wars to expand its territory and to protect against encroachment by neighboring states. Thus, elephants were a very important resource. The stronger kings would frequently visit various towns in the empire to oversee the rounding of up of wild elephants for the army. The elephant kraal located on the bank of Lopburi River just north of Ayutthaya was often used to round up and contain elephants driven down from the north. The king always presided over the ceremonies to receive new elephants.

The importance of elephants in Ayutthaya society
When royal ceremonies were held that involved travel on land rather than water, most Ayutthaya monarchs chose to ride by elephant caravan.

In war elephants were the most essential means of transport. The kings or generals would lead army on elephant back, and battle on elephant back was considered the most honorable means of combat.

For trade with far - reaching areas elephant caravans were important for transporting goods.

White elephants were considered rare items of value demonstrating the king's good karma, power, and influence.