Most travellers are unaware of its historical role, and a few hours spent exploring the town yield unexpected rewards....
Though it was King Narai (reigned 1656-88) who put Lopburi, then known as Louvo, on the map, he actually brought an already illustrious history to a thrilling climax. In the last years of his reign the lights of the town burned brightest, a final burst of glory and, for some, tragedy. It was the culmination of centuries of historical and cultural importance.

From earliest times, Lopburi was a place of some note. Archaeological evidence suggests the area supported organized habitation in the prehistoric era and traces of a New Stone Age culture have been unearthed. Later, between the 7th and 11th centuries, the town was a major centre of the Dvaravati (Mon) Kingdom, the most influential cultural force in the Chao Phya basin during the pre-Thai period.

More recognition resulted during the 10th to late 13th centuries when Lopburi was an important outpost of the Khmer empire centred on Angkor, and was for a time ruled by a Khmer viceroy. It is with reference to this period that the term "Lopburi" has been ascribed to a highly formative style of Thai sculpture, thus earning the name an enduring place in Thailand's cultural heritage.

The legacy of the Khmer period is, however, not limited to sculpture, and Lopburi boasts a handful of ruined temples that illustrate the influence of architectural forms developed by the builders of Angkor Wat and the Bayon. Slap in the centre of town and hideously bounded on one side by railway tracks is Phra Prang Sam Yot, a splendid monument to the Bayon style in spite of the incongruity of its surroundings.

Originally a Hindu shrine and later converted to Buddhist use, it comprises three prangs (finger-like towers) linked by a central corridor. Only a few traces of the stucco decoration that originally covered the huge laterite blocks remain, though the otherwise good state of preservation makes for an impressive monument.Two other notable examples of Khmer influence in Lopburi are San Phra Khan, across the railway lines from Phra Prang Sam Yot, and Prang Khaek. The former is inhabited by a pestilential troop of monkeys. As these and other monuments generally occupy key sites -- San Phra Khan is a traffic circle -- it is impossible, even on a cursory tour, not to be struck by the extent of the town's architectural heritage.

Perhaps the single most impressive religious ruin is Wat Phra Si Ratana Mahathat -- located opposite the railway station in yet another example of modern Lopburi's uncanny habit of blending the venerable with the mean. It is an extensive site dominated by a large laterite Khmer prang, though the temple is most fascinating for its overall construction which spans the Khmer period and the 17th century.

Most likely first erected in the 12th century and remodelled in the 14th, it was considerably expanded by King Narai, as witnessed in the large brick viharn (temple hall).

Indeed, if Lopburi belongs historically to anyone, it is properly the domain of King Narai and his first minister, the wily Greek known as Phaulkon. To any visitor even only slightly receptive to echoes of the past, the town is haunted by the shades of these two very remarkable men, both of whom lived their most exciting years -- and met their deaths -- there.

King Narai ranks as one of the greatest Thai monarchs and his long reign presents a fine record of achievements, though he is most noted for an ambitious policy that ultimately failed. He was the first Siamese king to recognize the value and need of development and progress through international relations. His rule coincided with the culmination of the first big wave of European interest in Southeast Asia, and he was determined to reap benefits while safeguarding his nation's sovereignty.More.