Overview
Sukhothai was the capital of the first major Thai kingdom, which flourished in the 13th–14th centuries. The kingdom is held to have reached its golden age under King Ramkhamhaeng, and the park preserves the ruins of this capital.
Description
The park preserves about 190 ruins spread over some 70 square kilometres. Wat Mahathat at the centre is known for its lotus-bud chedi and seated Buddhas, Wat Si Chum houses the monumental seated Buddha Phra Achana, and Wat Sa Si stands on an island in a pond.
History and legacy
Sukhothai sculpture — above all the walking Buddha type — is regarded as the classical ideal of the Thai Buddha image. After a decades-long restoration campaign the park opened in 1988, and in 1991 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the associated towns of Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet.