Wat Mahatat was one of Ayutthaya’s most important temples. It enshrined Buddha relics and was the seat of the Supreme Patriarch of Buddhism and thus the center of Buddhism in the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It is the royal temple located close to the palace. The King performed important ceremonies here, such as the Royal Kathin ceremony.

Main Pagoda (Main Prang)

It is stated in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya that the construction of Wat Maha That’s Main Pagoda (Prang) was started by King Borommaracha I in 1374 and completed in King Ramesuan’s reign. The Page collapses during King Songtham’s reign and was renovated in 1633 after King Prasat Thong ascended to the throne.

At the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, the monastery was set on fire in the Burmese attack. The abandoned Pagoda fell into decay during the reign of King Rama VI. Only the symmetrical base with staircase remains.

Buddha’s Head in Tree roots

The head was once part of a sandstone Buddha image which fell off the main body onto the ground. It was gradually trapped into the roots of a constantly growing Body tree as you can see nowadays. The stone head has rather flat and wide facial structure with thick eyebrows and big eyelids, straight wide lip, and discernible lip edge, reflecting the art of Middle Ayutthaya Period, presumably around the mid of 1600s.

Opening hours

Wat Mahathat opens daily from 8 am until 5 pm.

Entrance fees

Entrance fee for foreigner 50 Thai Baht. Thai 10 Bath.