The Ruins of San Petro Church, Ayutthaya, Thailand

The Ruins of the Portuguese Church, Ayutthaya, Thailand 

The first foreigners to gain a real place in Siamese society were the Portuguese, who in the 1500s, were spreading their influence (via political and mercantile pressure) throughout southern Asia. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Portuguese culture was flourishing in a small settlement granted to the foreigners by the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Although Ayutthaya was destroyed by the invading Burmese army in the 1770s (at which point the capital was moved to Bangkok), parts of the Portuguese settlement survived. The most interesting relic at the historical site is the ruin of San Petro Church, now maintained by the Thai Museum of Fine Arts.

the ruins of the Catholic church at the Siamese Portuguese Village

I visited the Portuguese Village on a short tour from Bangkok a few weeks ago. While most of the settlement is just a pile of stone and rubble, parts of the church have been restored and converted into a museum about the old Portuguese merchant's village.

San Petro, or St. Dominic Church, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Nowadays, there is no Mass, no priest, and no congregation. However, it's still a greatly interesting place to visit, especially if you are curious about the Ayutthaya Kingdom and the history of foreigners in what is now Thailand.

In the middle of the church building, the floor has been removed as part of an ongoing archaeological excavation. There in the middle, are the remains of several old skeletons! Many of the records have been lost, but it is almost certain that this is the tomb of the Portuguese merchants in Ayutthaya and their families.

excavated historical site at the Portuguese church

On the far side of the old church building, there are a dozen or so displays about the history of the ancient city and the foreign communities (mostly Portuguese, Dutch, and Japanese) who were all granted concessions by the Siamese monarchy.

the museum inside the Portuguese Church

One particularly interesting feature was, I think, a fairly recent addition. In Thailand, nearly every building has a "spirit house", which is sort of like a small personal shrine dedicated to the spirits of the land. You'll see them at people's homes, condos, shops, malls, and even a big one at the airport.

The old Portuguese church also has a spirit house! Instead of having been built for the Thai spirits, though, it's dedicated to the saints.

a Christian spirit house in the Thai style

It's always fascinating to see a little bit of religious syncretism, especially in architecture. You can read a little more about that in my post about the Chanthaburi Cathedral in eastern Thailand!

a unique Christian Thai spirit house

Visiting the church at the Portuguese Settlement in Ayutthaya

• The Portuguese Village is located in Ayutthaya, Thailand, south of the historical parks in the city center. The easiest way to get there is from Ayutthaya (just a short drive) or from Bangkok (around 1.5 hours away).
• The church is found in the Portuguese Village Historical Site in Ayutthaya. You should be able to get any taxi or tuk-tuk driver to take you there.
• Samphao Lom, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000