Khmer Temple, Lop Buri, Thailand
Lop Buri has had several incarnations. Under the Cambodian empire (also call the Khmer Empire or the Angkor Empire after it''s capitol) Lop Buri was an important royal city. It's king was Thai but it was a vassal to Angkor as were all Thai and Lao kingdoms. In the 1200s it accepted vassalage under Sukhotai. In 1351 the royal family moved to the newly established city of Ayutthaya, where they went on to take the entire kingdom. King Narai (reigned 1629 - 1688) took the now sleepy town and made it his summer capitol. He brought Thai, French and Iranian architects and artists to the city to meld their styles in his new city. Many of the surviving buildings bear the influence of all three cultures. Of course, all paintings and other ornaments are long gone, but they must have been impressive.
After Narai a isolationist coup plunged Thailand into a period of isolationism during which Lop Buri was abandoned. The coup was short lived and Ayutthaya quickly reestablished trade and diplomatic relations with the rest of the world, but Lop Buri was finished. One can only wonder what amazing wonder it would have become if Narai's dream of creating a Thai/French/Iranian city had come to fruition and lasted.
In the 1700s another Thai king took an interest in the city and it was again reestablished.
Khmer Temple, Lop Buri, Thailand
Lop Buri has had several incarnations. Under the Cambodian empire (also call the Khmer Empire or the Angkor Empire after it''s capitol) Lop Buri was an important royal city. It's king was Thai but it was a vassal to Angkor as were all Thai and Lao kingdoms. In the 1200s it accepted vassalage under Sukhotai. In 1351 the royal family moved to the newly established city of Ayutthaya, where they went on to take the entire kingdom. King Narai (reigned 1629 - 1688) took the now sleepy town and made it his summer capitol. He brought Thai, French and Iranian architects and artists to the city to meld their styles in his new city. Many of the surviving buildings bear the influence of all three cultures. Of course, all paintings and other ornaments are long gone, but they must have been impressive.
After Narai a isolationist coup plunged Thailand into a period of isolationism during which Lop Buri was abandoned. The coup was short lived and Ayutthaya quickly reestablished trade and diplomatic relations with the rest of the world, but Lop Buri was finished. One can only wonder what amazing wonder it would have become if Narai's dream of creating a Thai/French/Iranian city had come to fruition and lasted.
In the 1700s another Thai king took an interest in the city and it was again reestablished.