Wat Mahathat is the main in the temple complex of the ancient city of Sukhothai, the former capital of the eponymous Kingdom. In translation the name of the temple means “great relic”, it is this name are the most important temples of Thailand. In Wat Mahathat laid the foundations of Thai government agencies.

According to historians, Wat Mahathat was created in the XIII century and reconstructed in the end of XIV century. It was built in compliance with the Indian concept of the mandala as a symbol of the structure of the universe.

The scale of the temple also indicates its high public value: it consists of one main viharn (buildings for prayers and ceremonies), ubosot (for closed monastic rites), and 10 additional buildings and 200 Chedi (stupas). All Wat Mahathat was originally surrounded by walls and a moat, which is typical for important buildings of the Sukhothai epoch.

One of the main statues in Wat Mahathat is a Golden figure of Buddha in the posture of submission Mara. However, during the reign of king Rama I (the end of XVIII century), it was moved to Wat Suthat Thepwararam in Bangkok and named Phra si Sakayamuni in token of its miraculous properties.

Even though the temple was severely damaged, Wat Mahathat is impressive to this day. Tall columns that once supported the roofs of the main viharn, create a sense of lightness, and the ancient Chedi still hold relics of the Buddha and the relics of distinguished monks. Two of the remaining statues of Buddha in Wat Mahathat are his trademark.

And although in Wat Mahathat present their own, unique style of the Sukhothai Kingdom, the architecture of the Church has traces of the Lanna and the Khmer civilization of Cambodia. Stucco, used for decoration of buildings and chedis, bears the features of art of Sri Lanka.