Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (city)
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (, ; also spelled "Ayudhya"), or locally and simply Ayutthaya, is the former capital of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province in Thailand. It is located on an island on the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rivers. It's the birthplace of the founder of Bangkok King Rama I. Etymology. Ayutthaya is named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama in the "Ramayana" (Thai, "Ramakien"); (from Khmer: ព្រះ Preah) is a prefix for a noun concerning a royal person; designates an important or capital city (from Sanskrit : Nagar); the Thai honorific sri or "si" is from the Indian term of veneration Sri. History. Ayutthaya was founded in 1351 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lopburi and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya Kingdom or Siam. It is named after the ancient Indian city of Ayodhya, synonymous with Rama, the 7th incarnation of the Hindu God Vishnu. Ayutthaya became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. It is estimated that Ayutthaya by the year 1600 had a population of about 300,000, with the population perhaps  reaching 1,000,000 around 1700, making it one of the world's largest cities at that time, when it was sometimes known as the "Venice of the East". In 1767, the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom. The ruins of the old city are preserved in the Ayutthaya historical park, which is recognised internationally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins, characterised by the "prang" (reliquary towers) and gigantic monasteries, give an idea of the city's past splendour. Modern Ayutthaya was refounded a few kilometres to the east. Population. Since 2005 , the population of Ayutthaya has been declining. Geography. The city is about north of Bangkok. Climate. Ayutthaya, located in the central plains, is affected by three seasons: The city is located at the junction of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers, and on the main north–south railway linking Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The old city is on an island formed by a bend of the Chao Phraya on the west and south sides, the Pa Sak on the east side and the Klong Muang canal on the northern side. Ayutthaya City Sites. Other tourism sites. The approximate  centre of the old city is . Transport. Ayutthaya is accessible by air and rail. Air. The closest airport is Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, a hub for regional budget carriers. An elevated walkway connects Terminal 1 to the Don Muang Train Station, where Ayutthaya-bound trains regularly roll through. Rail. Trains to Ayutthaya leave Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Station approximately every hour between 04:20 am. and 10:00 pm. The 3rd class fare is 20 baht for the 1.5 hour trip. Train schedules are available from the information booth at Hua Lamphong Station, Bangkok. Notes. The city was founded on  Friday, the 6th day of the waxing moon of the 5th month, 1893 Buddhist Era, corresponding to Friday, 4 March 1351 Common Era, according to the calculation of the Fine Arts Department of Thailand. See also. Ayutthaya Historical Park