In 400 years, Ayutthaya went from a prosperous trade and political capital to a completely defaced city - plundered, burned and abandoned to ruin. The city was was under a constant power struggle with neighbouring burma ; nevertheless it remained a flourishing centre for regional trade and a burgeoning metropolis where art and culture merged. Exhibiting sophisticated techniques and styles, Ayutthaya's architectural heritage is an amalgam of Lopburi, Sukhothai, Dvaravati, U-Thong, ancient Khmer and Persian styles. Today, Ayutthaya's temple and palace ruins serve as a powerful reminder of Siam's glorious past as