Wat Mahathat

วัดมหาธาตุ

Ayutthaya's most famous ruin, where a sandstone Buddha head wrapped in bodhi tree roots has become an iconic image of Thailand. It was once the royal temple of the kingdom and the seat of the Supreme Patriarch.

Wat Mahathat stands at the center of the old city island. Built in the late 14th century (around 1374 to 1395), it was the most important royal temple of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and the seat of the Supreme Patriarch. Its main prang, which housed Buddha relics, stood about 50 m tall, but it collapsed in 1911 and only the base remains. When Burmese forces captured Ayutthaya in 1767, the temple was burned, and many Buddha statues had their heads cut off. The hundreds of headless Buddha images in the temple are relics of that war. The most famous sight is a sandstone Buddha head on the east side of the temple, completely wrapped in bodhi tree roots. It is believed the head fell and the roots gradually enveloped it, and it has become a symbol of Thai tourism. For photos, you must crouch so your head is lower than the Buddha head, and staff nearby supervise. The temple also has Khmer-style prang bases, rows of chedis, and halls that still retain some stucco decoration. Tickets cost 50 baht, or 220 baht for a six-temple combo pass. Opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00. Allow 45 to 60 minutes. Early morning light is soft and tour groups have not yet arrived. Across from Wat Mahathat is Wat Ratchaburana, a 5-minute walk away. Wat Phra Si Sanphet is 10 minutes' walk to the west, so the three temples can be combined into a half-day walking route. Notes: the site has almost no shade and is scorching at midday. Do not climb the chedis or the Buddha statues. The dress code of covering shoulders and knees also applies to the temple ruins.

Wat Mahathat

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