A few hours north of Bangkok along the Chiang-Mai Bangkok railway lies the ancient city of Ayutthaya. The city was once the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom or Siam (now Thailand) started in 1350 by King U-Thong. In 1600 the city had a population of about 300,000 and around 1,000,000 in 1700 making it one of the largest cities at that time. In 1767 the city was burned and destroyed by the Burmese army bringing the Ayutthaya Kingdom to an end.
Today the ruins of Ayutthaya are all that remain of this once powerful kingdom. It is also one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Just outside the ruins of the city are the usual tourist attractions, you know things like elephant rides. Elephants throughout the Ayutthaya were used for work, carrying kings, and even during battle. In this image, two women pass by riding an elephant with the ‘driver’ dressed in traditional clothing. In the background, ruins from the ancient city rise above the trees.
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COUNTRY: Thailand
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