The Historic City of Ayutthaya, founded in 1350, was the
second capital of the Siamese Kingdom.
It flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries, during which time it
grew to be one of the world’s largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas and a
center of global diplomacy and commerce. Ayutthaya was strategically located on
an island surrounded by three rivers connecting the city to the sea. This site
was chosen because it was located above the tidal bore of the Gulf of Siam as
it existed at that time, thus preventing attack of the city by the sea-going
warships of other nations. The location also helped to protect the city from
seasonal flooding.
The city was attacked and razed by the Burmese army in
1767 who burned the city to the ground and forced the inhabitants to abandon
the city. The city was never rebuilt in the same location and remains known
today as an extensive archaeological site.
At present, it is located in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.
The total area of the World Heritage property is 289 ha.