Sukhothai was the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam (Thailand) in the 13th and
14th centuries. It has a number of fine monuments, illustrating the
beginnings of Thai architecture. The great civilization which evolved in
the Kingdom of Sukhothai absorbed numerous influences and ancient local
traditions; the rapid assimilation of all these elements forged what is
known as the 'Sukhothai style'.
The historic town of Sukhothai lies a dozen or so kilometres from the
modern town and still has a large part of its fortifications. The
principal monuments include the monastery (wat) Mahathat, with
its royal temple and its cemetery; Sra Si Wat, with its two stupas,
their graceful lines reflected in the water of the town's biggest
reservoir; and an impressive prang (reliquary tower typical of
Ayutthaya art) from a somewhat later period. The site has been excavated
and studied since the mid-20th century. In 1988 a 70 km2 area was declared a historic park.
Sukhothai Heritage Resort:
Opened in October 2007, Embraced within vast organic rice fields, adjacent to the Sukhothai Airport, the low-rise accommodation
is styled with ancient Sukhothai architecture and eclectic interior
design inspired liberally by genuine Thai touch.
