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| Sukhothai World Heritage Site |
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- The UNESCO designation of Sukhothai provides a good tourist perspective
of what can be seen there; '' Beginning in the 12th century a people
from Yunnan in China settled in the northern regions of the Khmer
state. Known as the Thai ( free men ), they organized themselves in
small communities.
- A Thai prince married a Khmer woman, then revolted
against the central power and created the first Siamese state, calling
it the kingdom of Sukhothai after the name of its capital city.
Ramkhamhaeng ( or Rama the Strong ), second son of the founder of the
state ( c.l280- 1318 ) was one of the most important Thai sovereigns,
for he brought his state extensive territory through his military
victories.
- He invented the Siamese alphabet (Khmer script). He imposed
strict observance of the Buddhist religion and instituted a military
and social organization copied from his vanquished neighbors, the
Khmers. The great civilization which evolved in the kingdom of
Sukhothai was a tributary of numerous influences and ancient local
traditions, but the rapid assimilation of all these elements forged, in
record time, what is known as the '' Sukhothai style ”.
- The three old
towns nominated for inclusion on the World Heritage List by the Thai
government were the principal centers of the kingodm of Ramkhamhaeng:
Sukhothai ( the capital ), Si Satchanlai ( second royal residence ),
and Kampheng Pet. In their architecture ( they are built of brick with
decorations in stucco and wood ), they offer a great variety and
skillful mixture of elements inspired by the Singhalese or Khmers. The
great meeting rooms with the massive chevet decorated with a monumental
portrait of Buddha are specific to Sukhothai architecture and
subsequently influenced all Thai art.
- Among the statuary the first Thai
style is distinguished by the particular physical features of the
Buddhas: a long, fine nose, a flamelike protuberance on the head (
Singhalese influences ) and a double line around the mouth ( Khmer
tradition ). Buddha is often represented upright ( walking ), his
clothing clinging to his body, with an almost haughty attitude.
- The
historic town of Sukhothai lies a dozen or so kilometers from the modern
town and still has a large part of its fortifications. The principal
monuments include the monastery ( wat ) Mahathat with its royal temple
and its cemetery; Sra Si Wat with its two stupas, their graceful lines
reflected in the water of the towns’s biggest reservoir; and an
impressive prang ( reliquary tower typical of Ayutthaya art ) from a later period. The site has been excavated and studied since
the middle of the last century. A project for an international campaign
was adopted by UNESCO ( 1977 ) and a 70 sq km area was declared an
historic park ( 1988 ). Unfortunately, a modern road was built that
cuts the site in two.
- The historic town of Si Satchanalai is separated
from the modern town by the river Yom. Among the 140 buildings on the
site the most notable is the monastery of Chedi Chet Thao ( temple with
seven points ), impressive with its seven rows of elongated stupas,
erected to hold the ashes of the governers of the town. Since 1983, the
site has been classed a historic park (45 km2). The town was famous for
its ceramics.
- The historic town of Kamphaeng Phet ( wall of
diamonds ) played mostly a military role and, even after the fall of
the kingdom of Sukhothai, retained strategic importance. Due to this,
its
- monuments are as much in the Sukhothai as in the Ayutthaya style. The site was classed a historic park in 1980 ( 3.38 sq km ).
- Criterion I. The historic park of Sukhothai represents a masterpiece of the first Siamese architectural style.
- Criterion Ill. These three sites are representative of the first period of Siamese art and the creation of the first Thai state. ''
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