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Province
Ayutthaya
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province takes its name from the former capital of Siam, founded in 1351 by King U Thong on an island at the confluence of the Chao Phraya, Pa Sak and Lopburi rivers. For more than four centuries the city was one of Asia’s great ports, until its destruction by the Burmese army in 1767. Its historical park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The province has 16 districts (amphoe), including Bang Pa-in, the kings’ summer residence.
Entries in Ayutthaya (3)
Crafts, materials and know-how
Museum
Ayutthaya (Bang Pa-in)
Arts of the Kingdom Museum
At Koh Kerd, near Ayutthaya, a museum conceived by Queen Sirikit displays the masterpieces of artisans who came from the countryside and were trained in the skills of the court.
Traditions, festivals and living heritage
Cultural & creative centre
Ayutthaya (Bang Pa-in)
Khon Learning Center
At Ko Kerd, in Ayutthaya province, a SUPPORT Foundation building displays the masks, costumes and monumental sets of royal khon, and shows how the skills behind this masked dance drama are handed down.
Arts, aesthetics and creation
Museum
Ayutthaya (Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya)
Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building
Born of the looting of a royal crypt in the 1950s, the Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building has, since 2022, brought together the gold of royalty, offerings to the Buddha and relics from the great monuments of the former capital.