Sukhothai

Sukhothai or Sukhothai Historical Park was the former capital of the Kingdom of Sukhothai (1248-1438 CE), which was founded by King Si Inthrathit (r. 1238-1270 CE) and was the first in a series of independent polities that would eventually coalesce together to form what is present-day Thailand. Sukhothai is located in northeast Thailand and lies 12 km (7.5 miles) from the modern city of Sukhothai Thani and 430 km (280 miles) from Bangkok. At its height, Sukhothai was a magnificent, albeit, small city with elegant temples, palaces, stunning monuments, and waterways. The effervescence of culture in this city during the 13th and 14th centuries CE has left an indelible imprint on Thai art, language, and politics, and Sukhothai is still revered as the birthplace of Thai culture by Thais today. UNESCO declared Sukhothai and the neighboring ruins of Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet as a single UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 CE.