| AYUTTHAYA'S CITY WALLS |
In 911, a year of the cock, …... At that time the King had the walls of Ayutthaya
built for the first time. [1]
The first wall round Ayutthaya built by King Ramathibodhi I (1350-1369) was
merely a moat-and-mound enclosure with wooden stakes driven into the ground on an
earthen rampart. The eastern perimeter of the city probably stretched only to the old and
presently defunct Pratu Khao Pluak - Pratu Chin Canal, situated in the middle of the
island. [2] When new canals were dug, the mud and debris were stacked on the bank;
this mound served a defensive purpose and cut down on flooding. This type of defense
was used until the mid 16th century.
The location of the city of Ayutthaya had been chosen merely for defense purposes at the
confluence of the Chao Phraya River and the (old) Lopburi River, actual Khlong Muang.
The city was surrounded on its northern, western and southern flanks by rivers, a natural
barrier easily to protect. Only the eastern side of the city was prone to attack, as the Pa
Sak River ran a few kilometers east in its old river bed; reason why a protection canal
was dug - the "Klong Khu Khue Na" or "Khu Na Muang" (Front City Canal). Until the
mid-16th century the eastern defenses were made up by a large moat and wooden
enclosures. The large moat became later Khlong Pratu Jin (Chinese Gate canal) also
called Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak (Gate of the Unhusked Rice canal). At present this
canal does not exist anymore, but still some traces remain on the premises of the
Rachapraditsathan Monastery.
In 1550, during King Maha Chakkraphat's reign (r.1548-1569), the defenses of
Ayutthaya were strengthened by digging an exterior moat, in addition to the already
existing moat - the Maha Nak canal. [3] A crenellated wall of laterite, brick, and plaster
was constructed on wooden beams beneath serving as foundations and done presumably
to stop invading armies from trying to tunnel beneath the defense wall. (1) Fortresses
such as Pom Phet and Pom Satkop, were built along the city wall, mostly at waterway
intersections and forts were constructed around the outer perimeter of the city. The
eastern defense moat was extended to the line of the (still existing) Makham Riang Canal.
[4] The latter can be deducted from the writings of the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya
describing the first fall of the City of Ayutthaya (see: The eastern Ayutthaya city limits in
1569).
Ayutthaya was conquered the first time on 30 August 1569 and temporarily became a
vassal state of Burma. Even under the watchful eyes of the Burmese, King Maha
Thammaracha (1569-1590) was allowed to build new walls around the city under the
pretext of threat from Cambodia. The new walls were extended to the riverbanks in
1580. [5] The moat by the front ramparts on the east - the Front City canal - was dug
20 m wide and 6 m deep and extended towards the Mae Nang Plum Monastery and the
mouth of Khlong Khao San (the milled rice canal). (2) The Maha Chai Fortress was
built at the confluence of the Lopburi River and the Front City canal on the corner of the
newly-built city wall, defending the north-eastern side. [6] Likely Portuguese engineers
contributed to the thicker and better reinforced style of walls. Brick fortresses were
constructed, to replace the old fortifications. Known fortresses were Pom Maha Chai,
Pom Sat Kop, Pom Phet, Pom Ho Rachakhru, Pom Champa Phon, Pom Chidkop and
Pom Yai. Pom Phet’s location at the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak Rivers,
protected the harbour where foreign ships were forced to anchor for inspection and
unloading, while Pom Satkop guarded the north-western part of the city.
The walls of Ayutthaya were restored by King Prasat Thong (1630-1655) in 1634. [7]
Van Vliet wrote:
The town …. is surrounded by a heavy stone wall which has a length of more
than two Netherlands miles. This wall was for the greatest part renewed in 1634
and provided with a heavy stone footing.
The Sicilian Jesuit and architect who built the San Paolo Church in the old Portuguese
enclave, Fr. Valguarnera, was asked by King Narai (r. 1656-1688) in 1663 to rebuild
the walls of Ayutthaya. He was replaced as superior in order to take care of this task and
was occupied with the construction of fortifications until 1670. In 1675, on his return to
Siam, we find Father Valguarnera again occupied with building the walls of Ayutthaya
until his death in 1677. [8]
Records from foreign visitors of that time mentioned there were over some 800 canons
lining the city walls. The wall was 12 kilometers long, 6 meters high and 5 meters wide,
with 16 forts and a total of 99 gates: 18 city gates, 61 smaller gates and 20 water gates.
Most part of the wall and the fortresses were dismantled in the reign of King Rama I,
who had the bricks taken to be used in the construction of the new capital in Bangkok.
The foundations of the city wall mainly disappeared during the construction of U-Thong
road, the road encircling the City Island.
Footnotes:
(1) The technique of "mining" was used in warfare to bring down fortifications not built on
solid rock. A tunnel was excavated under the outer defenses either to provide access into
the fortification or to collapse its walls. The tunnels were supported by temporary timber
supports as the digging progressed. When the excavation was completed, the wall or
bastion which was undermined would be brought down by filling the excavation hole with
combustible material. The combustibles when lit, would burn away the pit props, leaving
the structure above unsupported and thus liable to collapse. It is in this way that in 1767
the walls near the Maha Chai Fortress were breached by the Burmese.
(2) Possibly at that time a link between the Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers was cut and the
new moat became the actual course of the Pa Sak River.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 28 /
Source: Luang Prasoet.
[2] Discovering Ayutthaya - Charnvit Kasetsiri & Michael Wright (2007) - page 320.
[3] A History of Siam - W.A.R. Wood (1924) - page 114.
[4] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 73 /
Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra
Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph.
[5] A History of Siam - W.A.R. Wood (1924) - page 128, 130.
[6] Our War with the Burmese - Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (re-edited 2001) - page
66.
[7] Van Vliet’s Siam - Chris Baker (2005) - page 6.
[8] The Jesuits In Thailand - Part I (1607) - 1767 by Pietro Cerutti, S.J.
built for the first time. [1]
The first wall round Ayutthaya built by King Ramathibodhi I (1350-1369) was
merely a moat-and-mound enclosure with wooden stakes driven into the ground on an
earthen rampart. The eastern perimeter of the city probably stretched only to the old and
presently defunct Pratu Khao Pluak - Pratu Chin Canal, situated in the middle of the
island. [2] When new canals were dug, the mud and debris were stacked on the bank;
this mound served a defensive purpose and cut down on flooding. This type of defense
was used until the mid 16th century.
The location of the city of Ayutthaya had been chosen merely for defense purposes at the
confluence of the Chao Phraya River and the (old) Lopburi River, actual Khlong Muang.
The city was surrounded on its northern, western and southern flanks by rivers, a natural
barrier easily to protect. Only the eastern side of the city was prone to attack, as the Pa
Sak River ran a few kilometers east in its old river bed; reason why a protection canal
was dug - the "Klong Khu Khue Na" or "Khu Na Muang" (Front City Canal). Until the
mid-16th century the eastern defenses were made up by a large moat and wooden
enclosures. The large moat became later Khlong Pratu Jin (Chinese Gate canal) also
called Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak (Gate of the Unhusked Rice canal). At present this
canal does not exist anymore, but still some traces remain on the premises of the
Rachapraditsathan Monastery.
In 1550, during King Maha Chakkraphat's reign (r.1548-1569), the defenses of
Ayutthaya were strengthened by digging an exterior moat, in addition to the already
existing moat - the Maha Nak canal. [3] A crenellated wall of laterite, brick, and plaster
was constructed on wooden beams beneath serving as foundations and done presumably
to stop invading armies from trying to tunnel beneath the defense wall. (1) Fortresses
such as Pom Phet and Pom Satkop, were built along the city wall, mostly at waterway
intersections and forts were constructed around the outer perimeter of the city. The
eastern defense moat was extended to the line of the (still existing) Makham Riang Canal.
[4] The latter can be deducted from the writings of the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya
describing the first fall of the City of Ayutthaya (see: The eastern Ayutthaya city limits in
1569).
Ayutthaya was conquered the first time on 30 August 1569 and temporarily became a
vassal state of Burma. Even under the watchful eyes of the Burmese, King Maha
Thammaracha (1569-1590) was allowed to build new walls around the city under the
pretext of threat from Cambodia. The new walls were extended to the riverbanks in
1580. [5] The moat by the front ramparts on the east - the Front City canal - was dug
20 m wide and 6 m deep and extended towards the Mae Nang Plum Monastery and the
mouth of Khlong Khao San (the milled rice canal). (2) The Maha Chai Fortress was
built at the confluence of the Lopburi River and the Front City canal on the corner of the
newly-built city wall, defending the north-eastern side. [6] Likely Portuguese engineers
contributed to the thicker and better reinforced style of walls. Brick fortresses were
constructed, to replace the old fortifications. Known fortresses were Pom Maha Chai,
Pom Sat Kop, Pom Phet, Pom Ho Rachakhru, Pom Champa Phon, Pom Chidkop and
Pom Yai. Pom Phet’s location at the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak Rivers,
protected the harbour where foreign ships were forced to anchor for inspection and
unloading, while Pom Satkop guarded the north-western part of the city.
The walls of Ayutthaya were restored by King Prasat Thong (1630-1655) in 1634. [7]
Van Vliet wrote:
The town …. is surrounded by a heavy stone wall which has a length of more
than two Netherlands miles. This wall was for the greatest part renewed in 1634
and provided with a heavy stone footing.
The Sicilian Jesuit and architect who built the San Paolo Church in the old Portuguese
enclave, Fr. Valguarnera, was asked by King Narai (r. 1656-1688) in 1663 to rebuild
the walls of Ayutthaya. He was replaced as superior in order to take care of this task and
was occupied with the construction of fortifications until 1670. In 1675, on his return to
Siam, we find Father Valguarnera again occupied with building the walls of Ayutthaya
until his death in 1677. [8]
Records from foreign visitors of that time mentioned there were over some 800 canons
lining the city walls. The wall was 12 kilometers long, 6 meters high and 5 meters wide,
with 16 forts and a total of 99 gates: 18 city gates, 61 smaller gates and 20 water gates.
Most part of the wall and the fortresses were dismantled in the reign of King Rama I,
who had the bricks taken to be used in the construction of the new capital in Bangkok.
The foundations of the city wall mainly disappeared during the construction of U-Thong
road, the road encircling the City Island.
Footnotes:
(1) The technique of "mining" was used in warfare to bring down fortifications not built on
solid rock. A tunnel was excavated under the outer defenses either to provide access into
the fortification or to collapse its walls. The tunnels were supported by temporary timber
supports as the digging progressed. When the excavation was completed, the wall or
bastion which was undermined would be brought down by filling the excavation hole with
combustible material. The combustibles when lit, would burn away the pit props, leaving
the structure above unsupported and thus liable to collapse. It is in this way that in 1767
the walls near the Maha Chai Fortress were breached by the Burmese.
(2) Possibly at that time a link between the Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers was cut and the
new moat became the actual course of the Pa Sak River.
References:
[1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 28 /
Source: Luang Prasoet.
[2] Discovering Ayutthaya - Charnvit Kasetsiri & Michael Wright (2007) - page 320.
[3] A History of Siam - W.A.R. Wood (1924) - page 114.
[4] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 73 /
Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat, Phra
Cakkraphatdiphong & Royal Autograph.
[5] A History of Siam - W.A.R. Wood (1924) - page 128, 130.
[6] Our War with the Burmese - Prince Damrong Rajanubhab (re-edited 2001) - page
66.
[7] Van Vliet’s Siam - Chris Baker (2005) - page 6.
[8] The Jesuits In Thailand - Part I (1607) - 1767 by Pietro Cerutti, S.J.
| Text & photograph by Tricky Vandenberg - May 2009 Reviewed - February 2010 |
| (Remains of the wall on U-Thong Rd, opposite Wat Thammikarat - February 2009) |
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