Wat Mahathat temple in Bangkok - description and history of the temple

Wat Mahathat is the largest Buddhist study and meditation center in Thailand.

Wat Mahathat, full name: Wat Mahathat Yuwarat Rangsarit Ratchaworamaha Wihan, existed before the founding of Bangkok in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, whose main purpose was to preserve the holy remains of the Buddha.

The temple has been reconstructed several times over the years. Nowadays, Wat Mahatatat is a functioning Buddhist university (Maha Chulalongkorn Raja Vidyalaya University) where hundreds of monks study the teachings of Buddha. It is an entire complex comprising several buildings.

There are many galleries, statues of Buddha, and monuments of people whose ashes are buried in niches. A stone of King Ramkam Kheng, the founder of the Thai alphabet, was also found here, as well as murals ...

Not far from Mahatha is the National Museum, where tourists can admire the sculptures of local artists.

How to get there

The temple is located in the center of Bangkok on Na Phrathat Street. To reach it, you can take a bus from Victory Monument. The bus numbers are 8, 12, 14, 18, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 38, 39, 54, 59, 63, 74, 77, 92, 96, 97, 108, 112, 139, 515, 539 and 542. This is the cheapest way. Minivans also depart from here and cost about 60 baht.

Wat Mahathat temple on a map of Bangkok 

You can take the train that leaves from the Hua Lamphong train station. Near the temple, on Phra That Street, there is also a parking lot, so you can also take your own vehicle.

 Time and cost of attendance

Mahathat is open to visitors from 9:00 to 17:00. The cost of the tour is 50 baht. If you decide to admire the temple Mahathat, it is better to free up for a tour most of the day, inside there are many interesting statues and other exhibits, for the inspection of which a few hours may not be enough.

There are also various meditation classes at the temple, which you can also attend. The times are every day, at 07:00 - 10:00, 13:00 - 16:00 and 18:00 - 20:00.

Useful Information

Next to the temple there is a market with religious paraphernalia. There they sell medicinal herbs, talismans, and various spells. All this is laid out on the ground, so that the potential buyer, passing by, will immediately notice what he needs.

It is noteworthy that Wat Mahathat is not only and not so much a temple as a sightseeing attraction for all to see. For inquisitive tourists, the temple has signs with information in English.