Abstract:
The objectives of this thesis are: 1) to study the development of the cultural landscape of Lopburi old town 2) to analyze the components and values of the cultural landscape of Lopburi old town 3) to analyze the changing trends of the cultural landscape of Lopburi old town. Methods in this study include field survey, observations, questionnaires, interviewing local experts and documentary reviews. The study found that the evolution of cultural landscape of Lopburi old town could be divided into four periods. The first period covered Dvaravati and Lopburi civilizations (12-18 B.E.) when the early town was developed and became commercial and Hinayana Buddhism center. The town was later influenced by Khmer civilization, Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism. The second period covered Pre-Ayutthaya and Ayutthaya civilizations (18-23 B.E.) when the power of Khmer fade out and Lopburi became a Hinayana Buddhism center and the outpost of Ayutthaya capital city. In the reign of King Narai the Great, the city was cited as the second capital. This was the most prosperous time of political, economic, social and cultural development. The third period covered Rattanakosin era (2325 2475 B.E.) Lopburi was restored in the reign of King Rama IV and became active again. The fourth period was from 2475 B.E. until the present Prime Minister Marshal P.Phibunsongkhram (2481-2500 B.E.) established Lopburi as a military town with a new town planning, economic development and town expansion. These changes affected cultural landscape Lopburi old town.The results showed that the cultural landscape of Lopburi old town was the result of the interaction between natural and human, resulting in the development various cultural landscape components. The physical cultural landscape components were the moats, ramparts, building structures in each generation, government offices, palaces and historic sites. The economic components were the old commercial districts. The social and cultural components were the historical and legendary related places. Physical components were the most changing cultural landscape components, especially buildings and historic sites which were intruded by the settlements of the villagers. Changing trends determined the appropriate cultural landscape management approach.Suggestions for the conservation of cultural landscapes of Lopburi old town included the town-planning measures to control in land uses, encroachment prevention, building controls and incentives to make people aware of the values of the cultural landscape of Lopburi old town