Wat Mahathat

 temple  Add category

It was the State temple and also the Royal temple, for official purposes and ceremonies only. It extends over an area of 200 x 200 m. There are about 200 chedis.
www.su.ac.th/sukhothai/

Wat Mahathat, วัดมหาธาตุ, situated in the heart of the old city, is the most important temple as the principal temple of Sukhothai. This significant temple is comprised of the main chedi (stupa or pagoda), assembly halls (wihan or vihara), mandapa (libraries), an ordination hall (Ubosot or Ubosotha) and 200 subordinate chedis.
The main chedi (Chedi Prathan or Phra Mahathat Chedi) has the graceful shape of a lotus bud, which characterizes the art of Sukhothai. The main chedi is surrounded by eight smaller chedis, the four at the corner belong to the Hariphunchai- Lanna style and the four in between have Prang-shaped chedis which were influenced by Khmer art. The base of the main chedi is decorated with relief-stucco images of 168 Buddhist disciples walking with their hands clasped together in salutation. On both sides of the main chedi are situated two standing Buddha images, called Attharot, 12 meters in height. There was a huge bronze Buddha image or golden Buddha image in stone inscription No. 1 in the royal Vihara in front of the main chedi. This image was removed to Wat Suthat in Bangkok by King Rama I and it was later named Phra Si Sakkayamuni.
Information from an historical marker at the temple.