When the sky is bathed in the glow of twilight, illumination displays will spotlight five historical sites to bring the ancient capital of Ayutthaya back to life as part of Ayutthaya Sundown 2024, which runs until Feb 16. This schedule gives visitors ample free time for weekend sightseeing excursions between 6pm and 9pm.
Across the front of Wat Phra Ram, a sizable swamp has been turned into a sea of lotuses and passersby can see the reflection of the ancient ruins in the water. Taking a closer look at what was once known as Nong Sano, visitors may recall the time when the Ayutthaya kingdom was established and the dirt beneath the marsh was excavated to expand the vicinity so the surrounding royal palace and temples could be built.
Located in the heart of town, King Ramesuan constructed Wat Phra Ram at his father's cremation site in 1369 and it was completed in the reign of King Boromtrailokanat, according to the Ayutthaya Chronicles by Luang Prasert. The main pagoda's crypt wall was painted in ancient murals that used the colour palettes of red, black, brown, yellow and off-white to portray earlier Buddhas.
After degrading over time, Wat Phra Ram and other temples in Ayutthaya underwent extensive renovations under the reign of King Borommakot. The remains of an ordination hall, a sermon hall and neighbouring pagodas are still visible.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram.
Just a short drive, the Historical Records of The Royal Secretary gives visitors a hint to discover a treasure trove at Wat Maha That. Originally erected in the reign of King Borommarachathiraj I, it allows visitors to relive the moment when King Ramesuan returned to the capital after a fight in the North, and, on his way to Mongkla Phisake Throne Hall, spotted the revered Buddha relics farther to the east of the Grand Palace.
In 1384, he ordered the construction of a main pagoda to enshrine Buddha relics, but it fell in the reign of King Songtham. After King Prasart Thong ascended to the throne in 1633, it was renovated. However, the temple was destroyed by fire upon the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. During the reign of King Rama VI, the pagoda began to deteriorate and all that's left is the symmetrical foundation with the staircases.
The Fine Arts Department started investigating Wat Maha That in 1957 and they discovered a Buddha relic which is contained in a seven-layered stupa-shaped cover made from different materials including bronze, silver, gold, ivory and wood.
The sixth-layer cover, which has a trigon diamond on its lid, resembles a small gold casket and is embellished with various gems including red spinel, chrysoberyl, moonstone, corundum and garnet. Currently, it is on exhibit at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum alongside hundreds of thousands of votive tablets and a collection of gold artefacts and gemstones and Buddha statues.
In addition to the only octagonal chedi in Ayutthaya and the remnants of the Supreme Patriarch's residence, visitors can find Buddha's sandstone head in an intricate network of tree roots. Its broad facial shape, which features thick eyebrows, huge eyes, a straight, wide lip and a prominent lip edge, is a portrayal of middle Ayutthaya-style art.
Just a stone's throw away, visitors can stroll further to Wat Ratchaburana, which was built by King Borom Rachathiraj II (also known as King Sam Phraya) in 1424 on the cremation site of his brothers, Chao Ai Phraya and Chao Yi Phraya.
Standing in the middle of the monastery compound, the main pagoda previously housed the gold crypt with an assortment of the refined Buddhist offerings that pay homage to Buddhism and symbolise the king. For instance, Phra Sang Khan Chai Sri (the Sword of Victory) underlines the belief of the divine king, which was influenced by the Deva Raja mythology of the Khmer empire.
Wat Phra Ram.
A shadow puppet play at Wat Phra Ram.
Visitors can also climb the main stupa during the day, although they are not allowed to enter the dark, humid crypt for safety concerns. Looking around, visitors can imagine how the crypt's first floor is lined with Buddha statues and votive tablets in different designs.
With stars strewn across the ceiling, the 2nd floor is piled with a mountain of glittering royal utensils, regalia, jewellery, ornamental accessories and gold pagodas. Beautiful red-tone murals of the Buddha, angelic assemblies and a procession of Chinese nobility adorn its walls, illustrating the influence of Chinese-style art that permeated to the Ayutthaya kingdom.
The lowest floor is home to Buddha's relics in a four-layered bronze cover as well as silver and gold votive tablets and glazed ceramic utensils. The Fine Arts Department also found more than 600 embossed and jewel-encrusted gold rings in the motifs of lions, crabs, cows feeding their calves and kinnaree that stand for abundance. They are now on display in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum's Ayutthaya Gold Treasure exhibition.
Situated on the west banks of the Chao Phraya River, Wat Chaiwatthanaram is the last stop on the night tour. In 1630, King Prasart Thong transformed his mother's residence into a monastery complex as her memorial. The Fine Arts Department added it into a list of ancient monuments in 1935.
Due to its appearance in the 2018 hit TV drama series Buppesannivas (Love Destiny), the temple is encircled by numerous period costume rental shops and is a popular destination for local and foreign tourists. While walking around, visitors can imagine they are stepping back in time to the glorious days of the Ayutthaya kingdom.
Wat Maha That.
Surrounded by five pagodas and cloisters, the massive Khmer-style stupa stands in the middle to symbolise Mount Meru, the centre of the Hindu universe, according to belief. The walls are adorned with a series of antique stuccos depicting Buddha descending from heaven to Earth. They show three rows of people kneeling on the bottom to await an audience with Lord Buddha, while other broken sculptures are believed to portray hungry ghosts and demons eager to hear the Buddha's teaching. A group of angels can also be seen praying in front of a Buddha statue, while Indra is guiding the way from heaven.
As part of Ayutthaya Sundown, Chantharakasem National Museum offers a night tour, however, visitors are not allowed to access the exhibition buildings. Returning for a look in the morning or afternoon would be ideal.
Situated on U-Thong Road, the palace was built in the reign of King Maha Thammarachathirat in 1577 to serve as a residence of King Naresuan the Great during his tenure as viceroy. Known as Wang Na (Front Palace), King Ekathotsarot, Prince Suthat, King Narai the Great, Khun Luang Sorasak, King Thai Sa, King Borommakot and Prince Maha Senaphithak resided there prior to their accession to the throne.
Following the second fall of the Ayutthaya kingdom, it was left abandoned until King Rama IV restored it to be his residence and renamed it Chantharakasem Palace. During the reign of King Rama V, it functioned as the local administration headquarters until 1902, when Phraya Boran Ratchathanin transformed it into the Museum of Antiques to display a selection of rare artefacts from the Ayutthaya kingdom.
Upon entering, visitors can start their tour in Chaturamuk Pavilion, which was used as a throne hall and living quarters during the king's visit to Ayutthaya. In order to illustrate the king' everyday life, the Thai-style wooden pavilion is furnished inside with an assortment of antique furniture, ceramics and home appliances such as Chinese-style pearl-inlaid wooden chairs in a living room.
Wat Ratchaburana.
The bathroom and dining room is completed with a pair of stoneware water purifiers from England, wash basins, a toothbrush box, pitchers, cutlery and clasp knives. A throne hall has a gilded and glass-inlaid palanquin, gilded lacquer wooden seat with lion claw-like legs, a carved grass-inlaid daybed and a large European-style mirror with a gilded wooden frame.
The adjacent Phiman Rattaya Pavilion combines European and Chinese architectural designs. Inside, it showcases a wide range of finest wood sculptures, Buddha images and votive tablets in the styles of Lop Buri, Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin.
The highlights include wooden sculptures of kneeling deities created for a significant religious ceremony, a gilded bronze Ayutthaya-style Buddha image meditating on the Airavata elephant from the 15th and 16th centuries and a bejewelled Ayutthaya-style Buddha image in the posture of dispelling fear. The tour concludes at the Mahat Thai Building, constructed during the time of King Rama VI.
To celebrate exceptional craftsmanship, it boasts a wide collection of artefacts, deity-like sculptures and antique weapons including a Chinese-style howdah from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a gilded Chinese-style wood boat canopy with floral motifs, a horse-shaped carved wood prow that was used to outfit a royal barge during the Ayutthaya period, and a vast collection of exquisite tripitaka wood cabinets created in the Ayutthaya and early Rattanakosin eras.
Chantharakasem Palace's Chaturamuk Pavilion showcases a private collection of priceless antiques from King Rama IV's chamber.
Travel info
- Until Feb 16, Ayutthaya Sundown 2024 will be held on weekends. Wat Phra Ram, Wat Maha That, Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Chaiwatthanaram and Chantharakasem National Museum will be open until 9pm.
- For more details, visit facebook.com/AY.HI.PARK and facebook.com/chantharakasemmuseum.
Phiman Rattaya Pavilion displays a wide range of Buddha images and wood sculptures.
The Mahat Thai building features a variety of Ayutthaya artefacts.
