The district acquired the name "Ximen" during the Japanese Rule. At the time, most people lived in the city center, and Ximen served as a suburban recreational place. In 1896, the first theater, "Tokyo Pavilion," was inaugurated. In 1922, the area was formally named "Ximen."
After the nationalist government came to Taiwan in 1949, much more capital was introduced to this place. Other than movie theaters, department stores and other recreational business venues popped up. As soon as Zhonghua Shopping Mall was established, Ximen became the country's largest entertainment hub.
In the 1990s, businesses in Taipei started to move to the East District, Zhonghua Shopping Mall was demolished, and the main roads were being refurbished. These made Ximen quiet for a long while. It was only until MRT Bannan Line was inaugurated that Zhonghua Road transformed into the Champs-élysées Avenue of Taipei, as the city government planned.
Ximending Night Market, technically not a night market but a ...
Lopburi ลพบุรี (Lop Buri), is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is about 150 kilometers (93 mi) northeast of Bangkok.
The city has a history dating back to the Dvaravati period more than 1,000 years ago. According to the Northern Chronicles, Lavo was founded by Phraya Kalavarnadishraj, who came from Takkasila in 648 AD.
Inscriptions say that Lopburi was incorporated into the administration structure of the Khmer Empire during the reign of Suryavarman I.
Control of Lopburi gave the Khmer Empire access to trade going through the Kra Isthmus. There is some evidence the Khmer Empire, under Suryavarman II, fought against the Mons in the 12th century over suzerainty.
After the foundation of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century, Lopburi was a stronghold of Ayutthaya's rulers. It became the capital of the kingdom during the reign of King Narai in the mid 17th century and the king resided there about eight months a year.
The history of the area is very...
Prang Sam Yod Temple พระปรางค์สามยอด (early 13th century)
Prang Sam Yod (the 'Three Tower Temple') was a Mahayana Buddhist temple built by the powerful Khmer Emperor Jayavarman VII (r. 1181-1221). At that time, Lopburi (then known as Lavo) was on the northwestern frontiers of the empire.
Jayavarman may have been motivated to construct Prang Sam Yod as a center for the cult of royalty and the Buddhist religious system that imbued it with legitimacy. Some evidence for this is that Jayavarman also had installed in Lopburi a statue known as 'Jayabuddhamahanatha', which translates as 'Victorius Buddha, the Great Protector'. In any event, three major Buddhist deities were worshipped at this temple: the Buddha in the central tower, the Bodhisattva Avalokitasvara in the south tower, and Prajnaparamita (the goddess of wisdom) in the north tower.
The triple-tower layout of Prang Sam Yod was already a well-established convention at the time of its construction. One ...
The King Narai Reign Fair is an annual Lopburi festival that celebrates the reign of King Narai the Great who ruled the Kingdom of Ayutthaya from 1656 to 1688.
He is regarded as the greatest Thai king of that era establishing both commercial and diplomatic relations with European and middle eastern countries, particularly France.
King Narai lived in the city making it his capital nine months out of the year. After Narai’s death in 1688, the French influence in Ayutthaya declined and they were eventually expelled from the kingdom.
The fair is held in the ancient King Narai Palace and runs for nine days. There are a host of interesting events and activities to
enjoy. This year’s fair will run from the 14th to the 23rd of February, 2025.
The center of festivities is the King Narai Palace, also known as Phra Narai Ratchanivet.
Other venues nearby are Prang Khaek, Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat & Vichayen House. All of the venues are free to enter for both foreigners and Thais during the ...
