Wat Mahathat and Ayutthaya History Park

Wat Mahathat or the “Monastery of the Great Relic” is located in the Ayutthaya Historical Park. The highlight of the temple is the image of Buddha head entwined in the roots of Bodhi Tree. This Buddha head image is made of sand-stone which is rare for the image built during the Ayutthaya period. There are many other unique attractions in this temple such as pagodas, octagonal pagodas, royal hall, small temples, and murals under a Bodhi tree.

Wat Mahathat was one of the the Royal Temple of Ayutthaya that serves as the religious center and enshrining the relics of the Buddha.The temple was built according to the concept of cosmology to symbolize the Hindu and Buddhist view of the universe.There is the central prang at the center of the temple to represent Mount Meru, the center of the universe. There are four smaller prangs at the corners, and many Buddha images line up in the gallery. A large prang was built to enshrine Buddha relics. Later, the Prang was collapsed and has not been restored.