Major-work.
Setting foundation for modern archaeology
More detail
Developing the Ayutthaya historical and archaeological body of knowledge
More detail
Founding of Regional Museums
More detail
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1.2 The implementation of modern survey techniques in archaeological works. Phraya Boranrajathanin had conducted various surveys and mapped the Ayutthaya city landscape and ancient buildings. The map Phraya Boranrajathanin produced is considered the first ancient city map of Ayutthaya which was made in compliance with the historical and archaeological method and has become an indispensable source for Ayutthaya study. Phraya Boranrajathanin’s Ayutthaya city map has also been a crucial source for the Fine Arts Department in determining the boundary of the ancient city of Ayutthaya, listing it as a historical site, and establishing the site as the Historic City of Ayutthaya. |
1.3 The conservation of the Ayutthaya ancient city as the national heritage in accordance with the royal order of King Chulalongkorn. Phraya Boranrajathanin had made a pioneering plan and accordingly implemented it to delimit the area of the Ayutthaya ancient city preventing it from being ransacked and destroyed. Not surprisingly, many of the archaeological evidences and ancient buildings have survived until today. Thus, the Historic City of Ayutthaya has become the national heritage learning site and has conformed to the UNESCO World Heritage selection criteria of bearing a unique testimony to a cultural tradition and even civilization.
2. Developing the Ayutthaya historical and archaeological body of knowledge
Phraya Boranrajathanin established Ayutthaya Study by means of integrating history with archaeology in a methodical manner. His noted publications on Ayutthaya include “Tamnan Krung Kao (Legend of the Old Capital)”, “Explaining Ayutthaya Map, an opinion by Phraya Boranrajathanin”, and “Bhumisathan Ayutthaya (Ayutthaya City Plan and Landscape)”. Phraya Boranrajathanin’s writings are the result of diverse stages of research on Ayutthaya history and surveys on the precinct of Ayutthaya ancient city, paving him the way for mapping important places and buildings of the old Ayutthaya. Until today, his three masterpiece writings have become principal sources for the study of Ayutthaya history and archaeological research.
3. Founding of Regional Museums
Phraya Boranrajathanin had collected and preserved art objects and artifacts obtained from various excavations in the area of Ayutthaya city. He categorized them and put them on display at the Ayutthaya Museum in accordance with museology principles. He was also the one who established Ayutthaya Museum, the pioneering regional museum of Thailand which later grew into the Chantharakasem National Museum.
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Jankasem Palace is located on the bank of Pasak River, or known as Khue Na Canal in the past in the northeast of Mueang Ayutthaya Island close to Hua Ror Market, Hua Ror Sub-district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. Jankasem Palace or the front place was built in the reign of King Mahathammarachathirat around 1577, the purpose of which was to be the residence for King Naresuan during his office as Uparaja of Phitsanulok.
In addition, the palace used to be the residence for the important kings and Uparajas which were 8 individuals, namely:
- King Naresuan
- King Ekathotsarot
- Prince Suthat
- King Narai
- Khun Luang Sorasak (Phra Chao Suea)
- King Thai Sa
- King Borommakot
- Krom Phra Ratchawang Bovorn Maha Senapitak
After the second fall of Ayutthaya in 2310, the palace was abandoned. Until the reign of King Rama IV of Rattanakosi, Jankasem Palace was renovated and improved to be used as a residence when the king visited Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. The name Jankasem Palace was granted by the king.
Later, King Chulalongkorn assigned Jankasem Palace to be Ayutthaya Office. Pimanrattaya Buildings which were a group of buildings in the middle of the palace were used as the offices.
When Phraya Boranrajathanin assumed his position as the intendant of Ayutthaya Office, he built an office building in the west to connect to the one in the south and moved the old office at Pimanrattaya Building to the new office building.
Jankasem Palace, Ayutthata Museum
During Phraya Boranrajathanin (Bhorn Tejagupta) office as the lord lieutenant of Ayutthaya, je studied and gathered a large amount of information about artifacts around Ayutthaya and neighboring areas and stored it at Jankasem Palace. Until 1902, Krom Phraya Damrong Rajanubhab suggested Phraya Boranrajathanin that he establish a museum called "Ancient Museum". In the initial phase, the royal stable was used as the place to store antiquities.
Later, on 23 February 1904, King Chulalongkorn ordered to move the artifacts from the royal stable to store and display at Chatuarmuk Pavilion and built a terrace along the building in the north and the east to display artifacts, stones and sculptures. The king also granted the name "Ayutthaya Museum".
In 1812, King Rama V went on a European trip. When he arrived in Hamburg in Germany, he sent a telegraph to Krom Phraya Damrong Rajanubhab saying that "The museum here is like Ayutthaya Museum". For this reason, “Ayutthaya Museum at that time became known by those who were interested in artifacts and national archeology.
EVENTS
At present, there are permanent exhibitions in the palace and its buildings as follows.
Jaturamuk Pavilion
Jaturamuk Pavilion is a souvenir room in which King Rama IV used to display his personal items e.g. bed, throne with white tiered umbrella of kingship, photographs, and rare utilities.
Phimanrattaya Pavilion
Phimanrattaya Pavilion houses artifacts collected by Phraya Boranrajathanin e.g. stone sculptures like idols and Buddha statues with Naga arch, artifacts in Lopburi era, bronze Buddha statues in Ayutthaya era found in Phrapra Hachai of Mongkol Bopit and accessorized fine Buddha statues in Ayutthaya era, including votive tablets found at the dungeon at Mahathat Temple and Ratchaburana Temple. In addition, there are several fine woodworks in the late Ayutthaya and early Rattanakosin genre exhibited in this room.
Interior Building or Regional Building
Interior Building or Regional Building is an L-shaped building built of bricks plastered with concrete roofed with tiles. It is located near the palace wall in the west connected to the south. The building is 10.00 meters wide. The western side is 50.00 meters long, and the southern side is 65.00 meters long. It was built in the reign of King Rama VI when Phraya Boranrajathanin (Bhorn Tejagupta) was the lord lieutenant of Ayutthaya Province. It was then used as the regional office until the administrative reform in 1932. After that, the building was used as the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, Office of the Auditor General, Provincial Cooperative Office and Office of the Comptroller General District 1 until 1993. After that, the building was returned to the office of Jankasem National Museum.
Astronomy Tower
Phisai Salaluck Building is a 4-story tower with the size of 15.80 meters x 17.00 meters, the height of which is 22 meters tall. The building is located on the rim of the wall in the southeast. It was assumed to be built for the first time in the reign of King Narai and crumbled down before the second fall of Ayutthaya. King Rama IV ordered it to be rebuilt on the same foundation and granted it the name Phisai Salaluck Building in which he used to stargaze. Later, when the area in Jankasem Palace was used as Ayutthaya Office, the building became an observatory tower and was equipment with alarms.
Sala Chern Krueang
Sala Chern Krueang is located in the south of the Phimanrattaya Building Group. It embraced the European style and was roofed with tiles. Phisai Salaluck Building is a 4-story tower with the size of 15.80 meters x 17.00 meters, the height of which is 22 meters tall. The building is located on the rim of the wall in the southeast. It was assumed to be built for the first time in the reign of King Narai and crumbled down before the second fall of Ayutthaya. King Rama IV ordered it to be rebuilt on the same foundation and granted it the name Phisai Salaluck Building in which he used to stargaze. Later, when the area in Jankasem Palace was used as Ayutthaya Office, the building became an observatory tower and was equipment with alarms
Sua Pa Club Building
Sua Pa Club Building is a one-story Panya-shaped brick building plastered with concrete roofed with tiles, the size of which is 11.20 meters x 20.00 meters. It is located in front of Phimanrattaya Palace and was built in the reign of King Mongkut and used for the assembly of Sue Pa group of Ayutthaya Province. Later, it became "Office of National Library"
The royal stable
The royal stable is a brick building plastered with concrete, the size of which is 6.00 meters x 17.00 meters. It is located on the rim of the wall in the northwest. The stable was built in the reign of King Rama IV. In the reign of King Rama V, Phraya Boranrajathanin used it as Ancient Museum.
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The Krung Thep Thawarawadi Map 1907The Krung Thep Thawarawadi Map is the ancient Ayutthaya map published by the Survey Department. The 1:5000 scale map is printed on a rectangular-shaped sheet with a width of 1 meter and length of 1.20 meters. The distance scale is drawn in a bar and there are also small rectangular boxes printed with different colors, and with text describing each colored boxes as “water color”, “brick color”, and “dirt road”. The approximate border lines are drawn as dash lines. The unexcavated mounds are indicated as oval shapes with small dots inside. The map shows the locations of temples, important government buildings along with the year they were built, for example, the Official Residence of the Provincial Administration Commissioner built in 1906, and the Land Registration Office built in 1902, etc.This map was surveyed by officials according to the remaining actual evidences of that time, reviewed by Phraya Boranburanurak (Bhorn Tejagupta), the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Monthon Krung Kao (Ayutthaya) and drawn by Mr. Daeng the draftsman of Agricultural Commissioner Office, Monthon Ayutthaya. The production of the Krung Thep Thawarawadi Map took 9 years from 1898 until 1907, which is the 40th Anniversary of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn’s Accession to the Throne. |
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The Ayutthaya Map 1926The Ayutthaya Map was published by Phraya Boranrajathanin (Bhorn Tejagupta) while he was the Superintendent Commissioner (Samuha Thesaphiban) of Monthon Ayutthaya and the Vice President of the Archaeology Section, the Royal Society of Thailand. The reviewed map of 1926 is drawn by hand and is 35 centimeters wide and 42 centimeters long. The map is scaled at 1:11530 and is indicated by a distance scale bar. Other symbols on the map are the same as those on The Krung Thep Thawarawadi Map 1907.The Ayutthaya Map is the result of a new survey on the island city of Ayutthaya in 1926. Thus, it provides with the more up to date and accurate locations of temples and government buildings along with the year they were built, for example, the Official Residence of the Superintendent Commissioner built in 1906, the Land Registration Office built in 1902, and the Chom Surang Uppatham School built in 1918, etc. |
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