Wat Phra Mahathat

Wat Phra Mahathat is a Buddhist temple complex in Nakhon Si Thammarat that unfolds around a 78-meter-tall central stupa surrounded by 173 smaller stupas and four assembly halls. The compound spreads across several courtyards with galleries, shrine buildings, and quarters for monks, connected by walkways and terraces.

The temple arose in the 13th century as a center for spreading Theravada Buddhism across the region and gained importance under the Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom. Later dynasties expanded the compound several times, with the main stupa raised and rebuilt at different periods.

The name combines "Phra Mahathat" with sacred relics and makes the compound one of the most important pilgrimage sites in southern Thailand. On festival days, devotees flock here to light candles and lay flower garlands, while monks walk through the galleries.

The compound opens daily from 8 AM to 5 PM, and an information center near the entrance provides multilingual materials and occasional guided tours. Visitors should cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before entering the halls and shrines.

The relic chamber inside the central stupa houses a tooth relic of the Buddha, shown to the public only on special festival days. This rarity has made the temple an important destination for pilgrims from across Southeast Asia for centuries.