Lopburi

Although once an important city, Lopburi rarely appears on tourist itineraries. Most visitors to the city are Thais on a day trip from Bangkok to see the historic sights (mostly temple ruins like Phra Prang Sam Yot) and / or take photos of the sun flower fields encountered enroute to the city. 


Phra Prang Sam Yot is probably Lopburi's most obvious landmark as is situated smack in the middle of the old city. This temple is quite a sight with its three "prangs" dominating the town center and army of monkeys roaming around the ruins and in streets nearby.  


During the Dvaravati period (6th to 11th century), the city was called Lavo and the Khmer built many impressive temples. Lopburi later liberated itself from Khmer rule and had by the 1300s become associated with the Thai kingdom Sukhothai.


In 1665 King Narai the Great (of Ayutthaya) ordered the construction of a the new palace on the east bank of the Lopburi River and made Lopburi the second capital of the country in middle of the 17th century.