Wat Mahathat

Wat Mahathat is one of the largest and most important temple ruins in Ayutthaya, dating from the 14th century. Its best-known feature is a sandstone Buddha head cradled in the roots of a bodhi tree — one of Thailand’s most photographed sights. Entry costs 50 THB for foreigners and 10 THB for Thai nationals and the site is open daily, roughly 08:00 to 18:00.

The Buddha head in the tree

This is what most people come for. A stone Buddha head, separated from its body centuries ago, has been gradually wrapped by the roots of a growing bodhi tree until the two are locked together. It sits close to the ground, and the temple asks visitors to lower themselves — crouch or kneel — so that your head is never above the Buddha’s when you photograph it. It’s a short walk from the entrance and clearly signposted.

The ruins

The name Wat Mahathat means “temple of the great relic,” and in the Ayutthaya period it was one of the kingdom’s principal royal temples, said to have enshrined a relic of the Buddha. What survives today is a wide complex of brick prangs (Khmer-style towers) and rows of headless Buddha images set among lawns and old walls. The central prang collapsed long ago, but its base and the ring of smaller chedis around it still convey the scale of the original. Fragments of the site echo the Khmer architecture seen at Angkor.

Insider Tip: Come first thing after opening. You get the ruins near-empty, cooler air, and the low morning light that makes the brickwork glow — a marked improvement on the midday coach crowds.

Visiting and getting there

Wat Mahathat sits in the central historical zone of the old city, on Naresuan Road, directly across from Wat Ratchaburana. Buy the 50 THB ticket at the entrance, or a combined Ayutthaya pass if you plan to see several temples. From Bangkok it’s about 1.5 hours by train, minivan or car. Once in Ayutthaya, a rented bicycle or a tuk-tuk hired by the hour is the easiest way to link the ruins.

Watch out: There’s very little shade across the grounds and Ayutthaya gets fiercely hot. Bring water, sun cover and a hat, and dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered, as at any working temple.

Pair it with Wat Ratchaburana across the road and Wat Phra Si Sanphet nearby for the core of the historical park in a single morning.

Wat Mahathat is located at Naresuan Rd, Tha Wasukri, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000. View on Google Maps.