  Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya
Wat Mahathat is one of the most important temples in Ayutthaya. And yet I was challenged to find something worth photographing about it. To me, this is a jumbled pile of rocks and bricks. No doubt, it was badly ruined. The Burmese torched it when they destroyed the city of Ayutthaya back in 1767. Nevertheless, its main chedi was still standing, way up till the time of King Chulalongkorn. Then on 25 May 1904, at 5:00 am, the main chedi fell to the ground and was left lying there in ruins since.
Ruins of Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya (30 December 2002)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Wat Mahathat was built by King Borom Ratchathirat I in 1374, to serve as the sacred centre of the capital city. That's because the crypt within is supposed to enshrine the Buddha's relics (hence the name Mahathat, which means Great Relic). The crypt was unearthed in 1956, along with a recovery of a horde of gold dedication items. These are now on display at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum.
Wat Mahathat is open from 08:30 am to 04:30 pm.
Headless Buddha statues at Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya (30 December 2002)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Ruined chedis at Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya (30 December 2002)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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