Dhamma Path Blog: Visited Historical Temple - Wat Mahathat “The Temple Of The Great Relic - Ayutthaya

Friday, October 4, 2019

Visited Historical Temple - Wat Mahathat “The Temple Of The Great Relic - Ayutthaya - Thailand.

The famous Wat Mahathat (Ayutthaya), “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.

The Wat Mahathat Ayutthaya is located in the center of old Ayutthaya, between Chi Kun Road and Naresuan Road in the northeast corner of Phra Ram Park.

The main attraction and touristic "high light" of Wat Mahathat. One of the temple’s most photographed objects is the head of a stone Buddha image entwined in the roots of a tree.

The mini 3D model of Wat Mahathat for reconstructed.

Bike for rent at Wat Mahathat.

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 temple Wat Mahathat was constructed in 1374 by King Boromma Rachathirat I. A large prang was built to enshrine Buddha relics. The prang collapsed in the early 17th century, after which it was restored and enlarged. A large number of viharns (assembly halls) and chedis have been added during the reign of later Kings. When the Burmese invaded and largely destroyed Ayutthaya in 1767, the Wat Mahathat was set on fire. The central prang collapsed again in the early 20th century and has not been restored.

During excavation works in the temple in 1956 by the Fine Arts Department the crypt in the central prang was discovered. Inside was a large hollow stone container in which relics and precious objects as votive tablets, gold ornaments, ancient images of the Buddha and other precious items were contained. Artifacts discovered in the crypt are on display in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.

Photo taken with sacred objects head of a stone Buddha image entwined in the roots of a tree at Wat Mahathat.

East of the central prang stands the main assembly hall, the Viharn Luang connecting to the gallery in the West. Its main entrance was East towards the rising sun. Two rows of pillars supported the roof of the 40 meter long building. The principal Buddha image sat on a pedestal in the back of the viharn facing East. Today its elevated base and some sections of the walls with false windows remain.

Photo taken with sacred Phra Buddha image with Prang Chedi behind.

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.