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Wat Mahathat in the Ayutthaya Historical Park | Ayutthaya

Wat Mahathat in the Ayutthaya Historical Park

Wat Mahathat, the temple of the Great Relic was one of the most important temples in the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Located on the historical island the large monastery features a huge central prang, a very large principal viharn and ubosot and a great number of subsidiary chedis and viharns. The upper part of its once massive central prang has collapsed. Today only the base remains.
One of the temple's most photographed objects is the head of a stone Buddha image entwined in the roots of a tree.
One of Ayutthaya's most important temples
Wat Mahathat 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.
Wat Mahathat was a Royal monastery located close to the palace. The King performed important ceremonies here, such as the Royal Kathin ceremony.
The ordination hall
On the other side of the central prang stands the ubosot, the hall were novices were ordained into monkhood. Smaller than the Viharn Luang, it connects to the gallery in the East. The hall is surrounded by eight sema stones that mark the sacred area of the ubosot.
Other structures
On either side of the temple's main buildings that are lined up East to West are several smaller viharns and chedis built over different time periods. The temple complex was surrounded by a wall with large entrance gates to the West and East.
Opening hours
Wat Mahathat opens daily from 8 am until 5 pm.
Entrance fees
Entrance fee is 50 Thai Baht.