| What is it? |
Wat Mahathat (วัดมหาธาตุ พระนครศรีอยุธยา) was the central Buddhist temple of the kingdom of Ayutthaya! |
| What makes it historical? |
Built in 1374 by King Boromma Rachathirat I, this Wat housed actual relics of the Buddha himself! Which parts of the Buddha those were, remains a mystery. The prang (pagoda) containing them collapsed in the early 1600s! As the central Buddhist temple of Ayutthaya, this was where the king would come to present gifts to the monks during the annual Kathin Festival in the hopes of improving the karma of the kingdom!
Like Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, this temple also fell victim to destruction by the Burmese in 1767. The soldiers beheaded many of the Buddha statues here to demoralize the people they conquered, but at least one head got picked up by a famous tree. It has been there ever since! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? |
HERE’S HOW:
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer with the World Heritage Volunteers!
- Donate to UNESCO!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
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| Where is this place? |
The southwest corner of Naresuan Road and Chikun Alley
Tha Wa Su Kri
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000
Thailand
From Bangkok: ~49mi (79km) — 0.9hrs
From Chiang Mai: ~378mi (609km) — 6.3hrs
From Phuket: ~573mi (923km) — 9.6hrs
From Udon Thani: ~321mi (517km) — 5.4hrs |
| When should I go? |
Wat Mahathat is open daily from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM! |
