Sanphet Parasat Palace, which is also known as the “White Palace”, was built on Baromatrai Lokanat’s order, the eighth king of Ayuttaya (today it is one of the Thailand’s provinces, located about 80km north of Bangkok). The palace served as the official residence of the king as well as a ceremonial building. King Baromatrai himself was a patron of art and a founder of an unconventional architectonic style, different from the traditional architecture of the region. This architecture was so original that it earned the name of the Ayuttaya school. This style inspired the builders of the Grand Royal Palace (Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) in Bangkok – one of the most important palace complexes in the whole country. The White Palace was destroyed in 1767 due to the invasion of the Burmese armies. Only the basements and historical sources remind visitors of the palace’s former glory. Thanks to the historical sources it was possible to reconstruct the edifice in the park of miniatures known as Ancient Siam or Ancient City. It is the largest open-air museum, covering over 200 acres, with miniatures of the most important Thailand’s historic buildings.
