The field north of Wat Phra Si Sanphet full of brick foundations, walls and little else was once the royal palace compound of the Ayuthaya kingdom. There's not much to see, but the Grand Palace in Bangkok was modelled on it, so that can help with your imagination. It makes for a nice, short bike ride. The entrance is in the southeast corner or you can walk in direct from Wat Phra Si Sanphet. It's open roughly 8am to 6pm.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.83 MILES
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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…
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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 …
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
Nearby Ayuthaya attractions
0.14 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…
0.2 MILES
The most prominent features of this ancient and presently active temple is not the large wí·hăhn lŏo·ang (royal assembly hall) but the modest stupa in…
0.21 MILES
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…
0.24 MILES
Wat Phra Ram's tall main prang (Khmer-style spire) isn't in the best condition, but it's definitely worth a visit. The temple was constructed on the…
0.37 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;…
0.43 MILES
A weathered Buddha, about all that remains intact from the wí·hăhn (assembly hall), sits picturesquely in front of a bell-shaped stupa at this small…
7. Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
0.46 MILES
The most impressive treasure of Ayuthaya's premier museum is the haul of royal gold (jewellery, utensils, votive tablets, spittoons) unearthed from the…
0.49 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…