Lopburi
Lopburi is a city in
Thailand, capital of the
Lopburi province. The city is located about 150km north-east of
Bangkok, at . Population 54,000.
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Prang Sam Yot, the Khmer temple in Lopburi |
The city has a long history, dating back into the
Dvaravati period more than 1000 years ago, then known as Lavo. When the
Khmer empire incorporated it they destroyed all former buildings, thus the oldest ruins which can now be found in Lopburi are Khmer temple. It later became part of the Thai kingdoms, and during the reign of king
Narai the Great of the
Ayutthaya kingdom in the middle of the
17th century Lopburi even served as the second capital, as another summer palace,
King Narai's Palace(Thai พระนารายà¸"์ราชนิเวศ) of King Narai. He stays in Lopburi around 8 months a year.
Today the city is most famous because of its monkeys. Especially around the Khmer temple Prang Sam Yot and a Khmer shrine(Sarn Phra Karn), that hundreds of
Crab-Eating Macaques (
Macaca fascicularis) live in the middle of the city. Especially during the Monkey festival in November they are fed by the local people. Because the are not scared of humans, they steal whatever food they can find from unwary diners.
Originally a Hindu shrine, the Prangs represent Bhrama, Vishu, and Shiva (the Hindu trinity). It was later converted to a Buddhist shrine.
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Central Thailand / Lopburi / Phra Prang Sam Yot
