Si Suriyothai Park -
Phra Chedi Sisuriyothai |
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สวนศรีสุริโยทัย |
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Chedi Phra Sri Suriyothai is located on the western part of the
city island near the Office of Archeology and National Museum on
U-tong Rd. This Phra Chedi is one of
a very important archeological site in Ayutthaya
Historical Park. It is the monument of the first Thai heroine,
Somdet Phra Sri Suriyothai who died during an elephant duel
between Maha Chakkraphat and the Viceroy of Prome and is also a
symbol of Thai women's honor in Thailand since the ancient time.
During Ayutthaya period, Somdet Phra Maha Chakkraphat reigned
the kingdom and had Somdet Phra Sri Suriyothai as his wife.
After having reigned for 7 months, Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung
surrounded Ayutthaya by using the invasion route via the Three
Pagodas Pass towards Kanchanaburi, and then to the capital
Ayutthaya. Somdet Phra Chakkaphat mounted his war elephant with
his son accompanying. Somdet Phra Sri Suriyothai was so worried
that she dressed in make military attire and followed them on a
war elephant. When the Ayutthaya army had faced the vanguard of
Tabinshwehti's army led by the Viceroy, Somdet Phra Maha
Chakkraphat gave flight but the elephant charged away from the
enemy. Somdet Phra Sri Suriyothai, therefore, charged ahead
between the King and the Viceroy to block his pursuit and was
fatally cleaved from shoulder to heart with his spear. After the
war, Somdet Phra Maha Chakkraphat ordered a grand cremation and
placed Queen Sri Suriyothai's body at Suan Luang, the Royal
Garden, was then known as Wat Sop Sawan. Afterwards, during
the reign of Rama V, there were investigations to find places
mentioned in the royal annals in order to compile into books.
The finding led to the location of Wat Sop Sawan where the big
Chedi was found. Rama VI later called it “Chedi Phra Sri
Suriyothai”.
In 1990, The Fine Arts Department restored
the damaged Chedi and, from the restoration, they found some
ancient objects such as a glass image of Buddha, a model of the
Chedi, and a golden casket with relics inside. They are all
preserved in Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. Prof. Dr. Santi
Leksukhum, a scholar of Thai archeology, found that Chedi Phra
Sri Suriyothai is probably the oldest among all Chedi with the
same shape and is a unique architecture of Ayutthaya. |
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Province |
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Ayutthaya |
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District |
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A. Mueang |
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City |
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Pratuchai |
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Genre |
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Historic |
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Opening time |
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n/a |
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Entry fee |
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Free |
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GPS : |
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14.35248 N |
100.54746 E |
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