Ayuthaya
In 1665, King Narai gave the French land next to the Christian Vietnamese settlement and donated money towards building the first St Joseph Church, which was made of wood. A brick church went up soon after, but it was destroyed in the Burmese invasion. The attractive, mustard-coloured Romanesque church standing now was completed in 1891.
Many of the families living around the church today are Catholic.
7.68 MILES
Ornate buildings are sprinkled across Bang Pa In Palace's 19-hectare gardens. First established in the 17th century, the palace was revived in the 19th…
1.81 MILES
The prang (Khmer-style spire) in this large temple complex is one of the best extant versions in the city. There are giant stucco-sculpted Garuda on the…
0.65 MILES
Glorious in the early morning light and also at sunset, this temple is Ayuthaya's most impressive off-island site thanks to its 35m-high central prang …
2.85 MILES
Visitors to this photogenic ruin 2km southeast of the island can climb stairs up into the crypt of the stunning 60m-tall, bell-shaped chedi (stupa). There…
1.29 MILES
At this captivating ruined temple, three wonderfully intact stupas form one of Ayuthaya's most iconic views. Built beginning in 1448, this was a private…
1.4 MILES
With animatronic ghosts, supersized crows and glowing Buddhas, Wat Tha Ka Rong is eerie and playful in equal measure and feels more like a carnival than a…
1.74 MILES
Featuring a gorgeous 6m-high Buddha flanked by maroon columns, this active temple was one of the few to escape the wrath of Burma's invading army in 1767;…
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Ayuthaya's most photographed attraction is in these temple grounds: a sandstone Buddha head tangled within a bodhi tree's entwined roots. Founded in 1374,…
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Atmospheric ruins and lively temple worship can both be experienced at Wat Phutthai Sawan. King U Thong founded this temple in 1353 on the south bank of…
0.65 MILES
Glorious in the early morning light and also at sunset, this temple is Ayuthaya's most impressive off-island site thanks to its 35m-high central prang …
0.92 MILES
Besides a fun selection of food (including some rather uncommon ones, like fried butterfly pea flowers) and crafts sold from thatch-roofed stalls by…
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A good first stop in Ayuthaya, the historical exhibitions in the former city hall contextualise the kingdom's history and culture from ancient times to…
5. Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
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The most impressive treasure of Ayuthaya's premier museum is the haul of royal gold (jewellery, utensils, votive tablets, spittoons) unearthed from the…
1.16 MILES
This early-Ayuthaya temple ruin in the island's northwest features an impressive 42m-long reclining Buddha in front of a precariously leaning prang (Khmer…
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Next to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, this sanctuary hall houses one of Thailand's largest bronze Buddha images, dating to the 15th century, most likely. Coated in…
8. Ayuthaya Historical Study Centre
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Though it feels staid compared to enchanting local ruins, this museum features model longboats and temples along with exhibitions on the lives of…