Designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site, Ayutthaya was the second capital of Siamese kingdom. It was founded in 1350 and flourished from 14th to 18th century. After being attacked and destroyed by Burmese army in 1767 it was never rebuilt and is now an archeological site. It was a very well planned city. An excerpt from UNESCO states:
“Well-known from contemporary sources and maps, Ayutthaya was laid out according to a systematic and rigid city planning grid, consisting of roads, canals, and moats around all the principal structures. The scheme took maximum advantage of the city’s position in the midst of three rivers and had a hydraulic system for water management which was technologically extremely advanced and unique in the world.”
We spent a whole day exploring these ruins and praising the details of planning and architecture still remaining and wondering how this capital city would be today if it wasn’t destroyed by another country. And we wondered – centuries have passed but some things have not changed – destruction in the name of power, fear, religion and safety still goes on. When will we learn our lesson?? How many innocent lives have to be taken and how many species have to become extinct for us to realize we are not killing someone else, we are killing a part of us! We are in this together! Earth is one and so are we!