Sukhothai (city)
Capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom in Thailand From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sukhothai (Thai: สุโขทัย, pronounced [sù.kʰǒː.tʰāj]) was the capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom (also known as the Kingdom of Siam).[1] Sukhothai is 12 km west of the modern city of Sukhothai Thani.[2]
Sukhothai
สุโขทัย | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Image from Sukhothai Historical Park | |
 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 659,600 ha (1,629,907 acres) |
| Population (2012) | |
• Total | 35,713 |
| • Density | 5.4/km2 (14/sq mi) |
History
Sukhothai is from Sanskrit sukha (सुख "happiness") + udaya (उदय "rise, emergence"), meaning "dawn of happiness".[citation needed] Founded in 1238, it is about 427 km north of Bangkok.[3] Sukhothai was the capital of the Thai Empire for approximately 140 years.[3] As of 2014, 193 temples have been excavated and partly reconstructed.[4][5]
The stele of Ram Khamhaeng states the city had a triple wall and four gates.[6] At its center was a pond, a "marvelous pond of clear and delicious water like the water of the Mekong in the dry season."[7] The Aranyika monastery was west of the city, a great lake to the east, a market to the north, and the Khao Luang hill to the south.[8]: 207
Old Sukhothai is a small town with nearly no hotels.[3] Most visitors stay in New Sukhothai.[9][10]
Sukhothai occupies an area of 6,596 km2.[11] The historic town of Sukhothai and related areas were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991.[12]
References
External links
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