Historical Heritage
To the origins of Ayutthaya: royal temples, sacred treasures and foreign trading posts at the heart of the former capital of Siam.
This eight-hour day is devoted to the historical heritage of Ayutthaya, former capital of Siam and one of the great political, religious and commercial centres of Southeast Asia. By bicycle, by tuk-tuk and by private vehicle, the itinerary follows a progression designed to understand the formation of the island city, the assertion of royal power, the role of Buddhism and the international openness that shaped its influence over more than four centuries. The geography of the canals, the old circulation routes and the religious ensembles thus serves as a thread for reading the city.
The discovery begins at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, whose collections offer essential keys to reading the remains of the ancient city. The exhibition devoted to the golden treasures highlights the pieces recovered during archaeological excavations, while the models, reliquaries and ritual objects convey the spiritual and artistic importance of Ayutthaya's great sanctuaries. The reconstruction of the crypt of Wat Ratchaburana, in particular, helps one better understand the function of relics, votive deposits and painted decoration in the religious architecture of the period.
The itinerary continues through three major monuments of the historical park. Wat Phra Si Sanphet, a former royal temple, recalls the close relationship between monarchy and religion at the heart of the capital. Wat Mahathat, seat of an important monastic community, bears witness to the centrality of Buddhism in the urban and political organisation of the kingdom. Wat Ratchaburana, founded in the 15th century, stands out for its great prang, its decorative remains and the archaeological richness of its crypt.
The afternoon reveals another essential dimension of Ayutthaya: that of a cosmopolitan metropolis connected to the great Asian and European trade networks. The former Japanese and Dutch quarters, today interpreted by the Japanese Village and Baan Hollanda, shed light on the commercial and diplomatic relations maintained with Japan and the United Provinces. The remains of the Portuguese trading post, where excavated burials survive, recall how old the European presence in Siam was.
The French stage finally leads to the Catholic church of Saint Joseph, heir to the mission established in the 17th century on the banks of the Chao Phraya. Its history evokes the relations forged between the Siamese court, the missionaries and the French envoys at a time when Ayutthaya was one of the principal diplomatic crossroads of the region.