Ruined in Thailand

Stupa's of Wat Yai Chai Monkgol

Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1351 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese, Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, French and Dutch, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the capital.

Reclining Buddha

Buddha's feet are the most holy. There are coins embedded in these.

In the sixteenth century, it was described by foreign traders as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the East. The court of King Narai (1656–88) had strong links with that of King Louis XIV of France, whose ambassadors compared the city in size and wealth to Paris.

On top of the Big Stupa

Thousand of Roosters around the  grounds.

Thailand was the only country in Indochina to never be taken over by Europeans.
In foreign accounts, Ayutthaya was called Siam, but many sources say the people of Ayutthaya called themselves Tai, and their kingdom Krung Tai "The Tai country.”

Wat Mahathat

Giant Prong

Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam/Thailand until the mid-1700’s, when sacked by the Burmese. The capital moved to modern day Bangkok. Ayutthaya was declared a historical site in 1979 and an Unesco World Heritage Site in 1991.

Stupa's at Wat Ratchaburana

About 1-hour north of Bangkok, we hired a taxi for the day and visited 4 of the Park sites.

Students find us wherever we are!

Mr. Sofi, our driver, would not take
us home till we visited this 40ft
tall Buddha.

Harvey gilded a Buddha for Pesach.