Phra Nakhon si Ayuthaya to give its full title, better known as Ayuthaya (alternate spellings
Ayodhya or
Ayutthaya) its name coming from the
Sanskrit word meaning
unassailable or
undefeatable, lies about 90km north of
Bangkok and is a 15
baht train ride from
Hualampong station. The journey takes about 2hrs and drops you off at the Ayutahaya station, from where you can walk to the river ferry to cross into the main part of town.
The ruins of the old capital are about a mile further past the river crossing, with most of them contained within the Ayuthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO world heritage site . Other attractions include Chao Sam Phraya National Museum which houses a large collection Ayuthaya's Buddhist sculptures alongside weaponry from the era, and the Chan Kasem Palace, which was built by the 17th king of Ayuthaya for his eldest son and currently houses many more treasures from the golden age of Ayuthaya's history.
The ruins themselves are amazing, and many still bear the scorch marks from when the city to the was torched. There were a great many temples in Ayuthaya, and so as you'd expect there are literally hundreds of Buddha images and statues dotted around the landscape, but there is not a single one that still has a head, as they were all decapitated by the Burmese after they overran the city.
Sources include
Lonely Planet Guidebook : Thailand
My travel diary, and memory