Wat Mahathat – Buddha Head in Tree Roots

Wat Mahathat is the most visited and most photographed temple in all of Ayutthaya, and for good reason. Founded in the late 14th century, it was once the most important temple in the ancient Ayutthaya Kingdom, serving as the seat of the Supreme Patriarch. Today its vast ruined complex of prangs, chedis, and headless Buddha statues tells the story of the Burmese sacking of the city in 1767. The temple's world-famous image — a serene stone Buddha head perfectly cradled within the gnarled roots of an ancient bodhi tree — has become one of the most iconic photographs in all of Southeast Asia. Visitors must kneel lower than the Buddha's head as a sign of respect. The site is a deeply moving and photogenic exploration of a once-great civilisation.