Wat Ratchaburana
วัดราชบูรณะ
The best-preserved Khmer-style main prang across from Wat Mahathat. Climb inside to see 15th-century murals in the crypt. Gold treasures unearthed from the tower are displayed in the museum across town.
Wat Ratchaburana stands directly across from Wat Mahathat. In 1424, King Borommarachathirat II built it on the cremation site of his two elder brothers, who died in a duel over the throne. The central Khmer-style prang is the best-preserved in Ayutthaya. Garuda, naga and divine figures carved in stucco remain clearly visible on its body. You can climb up the steep steps to the top, then enter the crypt through a narrow staircase. Inside you can see surviving 15th-century murals and Chinese-style patterns. It is the only tower crypt in Ayutthaya that visitors can enter. In 1957, looters opened the crypt and unearthed large quantities of gold objects and Buddha images, which are now held at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum on the south side of the island (150 baht admission). A visit to the museum is recommended.
Entry is 50 baht (included in the combined ticket), and it is open 08:00–18:00. The two temples are separated by only one road, and visiting both takes about 1.5–2 hours.
Note: The crypt staircase is narrow and steep, hot, and smells of bats, so people with a fear of heights or claustrophobia should be cautious. The tower has no railings, so take care. Wear trainers.
Opening hours
08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Wat Mahathat
- Wat Thammikarat
- Wat Phra Ram
- Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre
- Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
- Wat Na Phra Men
- Wat Phra Si Sanphet
- Chantharakasem Palace