There is a "hidden ancient city" in Thailand, which was once the earliest capital of Siam. It is full of historical sites but few people visit it.

As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Thailand is indeed extremely rich in tourism resources. There are so many cities in Thailand with obvious styles and characteristics. Bangkok's prosperity, Chiang Mai's artistic freshness, Phuket's vibrant seaside, Krabi's tranquility and primitiveness, Samui's high-end luxury...all attract many tourists. Fans also make Thailand's tourism industry develop more comprehensive and diversified.

In the minds of most Thais, there is an extremely important ancient city, which can be described as a religious holy place with "Buddha's light shining everywhere". This is the first capital of Thailand, and is home to Thai culture, writing, and language. The cradle of birth, a sacred place that all Thai people yearn for: Sukhothai.

Anyone familiar with Thai history knows that Thailand was formerly known as "Siam". In the 13th and 14th centuries, the capital of the First Kingdom of Siam was Sukhothai. At that time, it was the heyday of the Thai people, and the "Sukhothai Dynasty" reached unprecedented prosperity. People lived and worked here in peace and contentment, and they were prosperous. All aspects, including politics, economy, culture, diplomacy, and territory, had reached their peak.

In the 200 years since the Sukhothai dynasty established its capital here, Sukhothai has always been the spiritual pillar of the Thai people. It was not until the middle of the 15th century that the city began to decline. It was replaced by "Great City", the capital of the Ayutthaya Dynasty, which gradually became the political center of the country and gradually withdrew from the stage of history.

After experiencing the ups and downs of history, Sukhothai has also become a forgotten city. Located more than 300 kilometers north of Bangkok, it is an ancient city in northern Thailand. The ancient city was once abandoned. After more than 30 years of restoration, it has now become an increasingly popular tourist destination in Thailand. Although most visitors to Thailand never visit, Sukhothai remains one of the country's most striking architectural sites.

Now the ancient and peaceful Sukhothai Ancient City has been transformed into Sukhothai Historical Park. There are many interesting monumental buildings here. It is the birthplace and the birthplace of the early artistic style of Thai architecture. The essence is a cultural treasure of Thai religion and architectural art, and is included in the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO.

The entire historical park is huge, covering an area of ??more than 110 square kilometers. It is surrounded by three layers of earth walls, moats and city walls. There are 193 Buddhist monuments inside and outside the city, including palaces, Buddhist temples and a large number of ancient pagodas. , Buddha statues, stone tablets, ponds, dams and ancient porcelain kilns, etc., are regarded as the "root of national culture" in Thailand. The living habits of the Thai people and many architectural styles can be found in the ancient city of Sukhothai.

Among the many historical sites in Sukhothai, the giant Buddha statue in Xichuan Temple is the most representative. Xichuan Temple was built in the 13th century AD. Today, a towering Buddha statue stands on the high open-air wall. The Buddha statue is 15 meters high and 11.3 meters wide at its widest point. It is spectacular in shape and has a peaceful expression. It is the only open-ended Buddha statue among thousands of Buddha statues in Sukhothai. The Buddha statue with eyes is quite mysterious.

The best way to visit the ancient city of Sukhothai is on foot or by bicycle. You can visit the main temple ruins and Buddha statues in sequence according to the tour guide, and slowly walk through these historical relics, detailing Savor the rich and profound Thai history and cultural origins. Each pagoda here represents a piece of history, and each Buddha statue tells a story.

However, although the number of tourists and tourism revenue in Sukhothai are not as good as those in tourist hot spots such as Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai, it is not even well known by outside tourists. However, the rebirth of the ancient city of Sukhothai has attracted a steady stream of Thais to come here to "find their roots". People have special feelings for the culture and history of Sukhothai, and they all want to come here to see the original appearance of Thailand.

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.