WAT PHRA MAHATHAT WORAMAHAWIHAAN

This is a 9-minute walk-through of the main sights at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihaan


The most important temple of the province Nakhon Si Thammarat is clearly Wat Mahathat, located in the southern part of the town. It is the oldest temple in the whole region, in fact, it is the temple chronicle that provides the early history of the kingdom of Nakhon Si Thammarat.


The full name of the temple is Wat Phra Mahathat Woromaha Viharn (วัดพระมหาธาตุวรมหาวิหาร), and the actual age is not really known. Two versions of the temple chronicle exist, however, centuries of copying and amending the text turned the oldest parts into something hardly distinguishable from legend. The reason to build a chedi at that site was to enshrine a tooth relic of Buddha, which according to one chronicle happened together with the foundation of the town in the year 1176. Yet both chronicles agree on several reconstructions of the chedi after it fell into disrepair, so the modern 74m high chedi in Sri Lankan style isn't the original one for sure.


The main chedi is surrounded by 173 smaller chedis in the courtyard, and a hall encircling it with many Buddha statues facing in all four directions. On one side of the chedi is the staircase to climb onto a gallery. The hall with this staircase alone is worth seeing, with figures of giants and lions protecting it. On the gallery one can encircle the chedi completely, and the sound of hundreds of small bells moved by the wind give it a great atmosphere.


Also within the temple area is a temple museum, which shows many historical items from the town. South of the temple is a market, which among many other things also sells souvenirs styled after the traditional Lakhon figures used in shadow plays.


The town has several more historical places I visited like The City Pillar Shrine which is very beautiful.