Wat Matchimawat (Udon Thani)

Wat Matchimawat sits in central Udon Thani, founded in 1893 by Prince Prachaksinlapakhom — the same royal official who founded Udon Thani city itself — on the site of an abandoned temple then called Wat Non Mak Khaeng. He renamed it Wat Matchimawat, meaning “the middle temple,” specifically so residents would see it as belonging to the whole community rather than any single family or neighbourhood. The temple received its wisungkhamsima (consecration boundary) in 1894, and from 1897 grew into the largest centre of Buddhist scriptural study in the old Monthon Udon region under the monk Phra Thep Wisutthachan.

The temple’s most important object is Luang Pho Nak, a white stone Buddha image in the naga-canopied pose, built up from separate carved stone sections rather than cast as one piece. According to temple tradition it was originally housed inside a large stone chedi that had grown up around an old tamarind tree; it now stands enshrined in front of the ubosot, where it draws a steady stream of local visitors rather than tour groups. The current ordination hall dates to a 1951 rebuild, and the roughly 15-acre grounds — a large footprint for a temple this close to the provincial courthouse and city centre — hold several structures from the Rama V era alongside it.

Wat Matchimawat was elevated to third-class royal temple status on 7 May 1964, a designation reserved for temples with recognised historical or civic importance. That’s the credential worth knowing here: this isn’t a temple known for painted murals or elaborate frescoes (a different, unrelated Wat Matchimawat in Songkhla province holds that reputation) — it’s known for its founding role in the city and for Luang Pho Nak.

Insider Tip: pair a visit with the Monument of Krommaluang Prachaksinlapakhom elsewhere in the city — seeing the founder’s monument alongside the temple he personally rebuilt ties Udon Thani’s origin story together. Watch out: there’s no dedicated visitor centre or English signage explaining Luang Pho Nak’s history, so it’s easy to walk past without realising its significance — ask at the temple office if anyone’s available to explain.

Dress modestly, covered shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes before entering the ubosot or viharn. Combine the visit with Wat Phothisomphon and Nong Prachak Public Park, both a short walk or drive away in the same Mueang Udon Thani district.