7 Best Sights in Ayutthaya, Around Bangkok

Building began on this royal monastery in 1374 and was completed during the reign of King Ramesuan (1388–95). The tree-shaded, spacious, and parklike grounds, a pleasant place to linger, contain what's left of the monastery's 140-foot prang. The brick Khmer-style prang—which collapsed twice between 1610 and 1628, and again in the early 20th century—barely reflects its former glory. Partially in ruins, the prang is said to contain relics of the Lord Buddha. It and the beheaded Buddhas that remain in Wat Phra Mahathat are a result of the Burmese sacking of the temple in 1767.

This museum on spacious grounds in the center of the Old City was opened by the king and queen of Thailand in 1961. Its many exhibits include Buddhist sculpture from the Dvaravati, Lopburi, Ayutthaya, and U-Thong periods. Also on display is a jewel-encrusted sword with which one Ayutthaya prince killed his brother in an elephant-back duel.

This bustling temple complex on the banks of the Lopburi River is an interesting diversion from the dormant ruins that dominate Ayutthaya. A short B4 ferry ride across the river sets the scene for its dramatic origins. The temple was built in 1324 (26 years before Ayutthaya's rise to power) by a U-Thong king in atonement for the death of his fiancée. Instead of bringing his bride, a Chinese princess, into the city himself, the king arranged an escort for her. Distraught at what she interpreted to be a lackluster welcome, the princess threw herself into the river (at the site of the current temple) and drowned. Inside the main chapel sits a highly revered, gilded 19-meter-high seated Buddha dating to 1334.

The royal family worshipped at this wat, Ayutthaya's largest temple. The 14th-century structure lost its 50-foot Buddha in 1767, when the invading Burmese melted it down for its 374 pounds of gold. The trio of chedis survived and are the best existing examples of Ayutthaya architecture; enshrining the ashes of several kings, they stand as eternal memories of a golden age. If the design looks familiar, it's because Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the model for Wat Phra Kaew at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Beyond the monuments you can find a grassy field where the Royal Palace once stood. The foundation is all that remains of the palace that was home to 33 kings.

Across from Wat Phra Mahathat stands Wat Ratchaburana, whose Khmer-style prang dominates the skyline. Original carved stucco statues of mythical creatures and lotus flowers can still be seen on the main prang, which is surrounded by four Sri Lankan–style stupas. King Borommaracha II (Chao Sam Phraya) built this temple in 1424 to commemorate the death of his two older brothers, whose duel for the throne ironically left him as king. Their relics, including their swords, were buried in a crypt under the prang's base, which was looted in 1957. Arrests were made, however, and the retrieved treasures can now be seen in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.

King Naresuan constructed the enormous chedi at Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, the largest in Ayutthaya, after defeating the Burmese crown prince during a battle atop elephants in 1593. A painting of the battle is one of the temple's highlights. The complex, parts of which date to 1357, was totally restored in 1982. Linger a while to pay your respects to the huge reclining Buddha, or climb to the top for a spectacular view. The site closes at 5 pm, but you can enter after that if the gates are left open, as they often are. The view at sunset is beautiful, and you'll completely escape the crowds.

When this temple's roof collapsed in 1767, one of Thailand's biggest and most revered bronze sitting Buddha image was revealed. It lay there with a broken head and right arm until repaired in 1930. A huge new wihan (a shrine hall) was built around it in 1951. Art historians have dated the image back to 1538.