Wat Phra Si Sanphet: The Royal Temple of Ayutthaya

Visiting Ayutthaya and skipping Wat Phra Si Sanphet is like going to Mexico and never eating tacos — what are you even doing?

This 15th-century royal chapel was the blueprint for Bangkok’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha. If you’re visiting Ayutthaya and want to understand Thailand’s royal religious roots, this temple should be at the top of your list.

As your online Thai friend who’s been here many times, I’ll share the context that makes Wat Phra Si Sanphet more than just ruins — and how to enjoy a smooth visit.

This guide covers what to see, when to go, what to expect, and why this temple still matters nearly 600 years later. Let’s make sure you get there knowing exactly what everything means instead of just staring at ruins!

Note: I originally published this post in April of 2022. I’ve updated it to include better and more relevant local recommendations for you.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Once the country’s royal temple and now a UNESCO World Heritage, Wat Phra Si Sanphet served as the main inspiration for Wat Phra Kaew, the country’s current royal temple in Bangkok. How impressive is that?!

But ancient sites without context are just ruins, so let me help make your visit as magical as it should be.

The information here will help you plan well in conjunction with my 2-day Ayutthaya itinerary.

The History Behind Wat Phra Si Sanphet

First, let’s look at the story of the temple and its significance to the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. I’ll even tell you where to go in Bangkok to feel a little closer to this bit of history!

Early History

Known as the biggest and holiest temple of Ayutthaya, it’s ironic that it wasn’t supposed to be a temple when it was built.

In 1350, one year before the Ayutthaya Kingdom, King Ramathibodi I (then known as U-Thong) ordered the construction of his new residence where the temple stands today. So, yep. It was supposed to be a palace!

The construction concluded a year later in 1351, and King U-Thong declared Ayutthaya the new capital city of Thailand.

Ninety-seven years later, in 1448, King Ramathibodi’s great-great-nephew, King Borommatrailokkanat, built a new royal residence directly north of the old one. So, the old palace grounds became a holy site.

The 3 Signature Stupas

In 1492, King Borommatrailokkanat’s son, King Ramathibodi II, ordered the construction of 2 bell-shaped stupas to store the ashes of his father and brother. These are the middle stupa and the one on the right.

The last stupa to the left was built in 1529 by the son of King Ramathibodi II, to store the ashes of his father next to those of his grandfather and uncle.

After the last stupa was completed, traditional cloisters (Phra Rabiang) were constructed around each stupa’s terrace. It held many Buddha statues in its days of glory.

Becoming the Royal Temple of Ayutthaya

The holy site officially became the royal chapel in 1499, when King Ramathibodi II ordered the construction of a sanctuary (Viharn) next to the eastern stupa.

Inside, he put a gigantic Buddha image called Phra Si Sanphet Dayan. The image is 16 meters tall and covered in roughly 171 kg of pure gold.

Just like Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok, no monks lived inside Wat Phra Si Sanphet. They would be invited in only to hold religious ceremonies for the royal family.

Further Constructions

In 1630, another important building joined the temple to the west of the main stupas. King Narai added a cross-shaped sanctuary for his own use, which was later called “Prasat Phra Narai” (Phra Narai’s castle).

Just like most other buildings on the grounds, only the base and some parts of the walls remain. This part of the temple is also rich with fully grown trees, so you can take a relaxed stroll around for a while if you’d like.

Phra Si Sanphet Dayan: The Temple’s Namesake

Without a doubt, Phra Si Sanphet Dayan was the most revered Buddha image in the Ayutthaya Kingdom, equal to the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok today. The image also gave the temple its official name.

Unfortunately, it got heavily damaged in the Burmese sack of Ayutthaya in 1767. Only the copper core of the statue remained.

After Bangkok became the capital city in 1782, King Rama I of the Chakri dynasty brought the Buddha core to Bangkok. He stored it inside Wat Pho and built a massive stupa to cover it. So, yes, the remains of Phra Si Sanphet Dayan are inside this green stupa!

The Fall of Ayutthaya and its Royal Temple

After prospering for 416 years, the Ayutthaya Kingdom finally fell in 1767. The Burmese army razed the city to the ground, burning buildings and melting all the gold. Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the royal temple, was not an exception.

In the end, only the eastern stupa remained standing. The other 2 were later restored by the Fine Arts Department in 1956.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet: Visitors’ Information

• Opening Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM daily
• Admission: 50 THB ($1.7)
• Address: Tambon Pratuchai, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000

Dress Code

As I always say, dressing for a temple is similar to dressing up for church.

But from what I’ve noticed, the abandoned temples are a lot more relaxed about this than working temples. Most people can get away with wearing shorts here.

Regardless of what I’ve seen, I’d still recommend you go the safest possible route and dress appropriately. Light, loose-fitted pants will help sustain you in the Ayutthayan heat.

How to get there from Bangkok

The best way to get from Bangkok to Ayutthaya is by air-conditioned minivan.

The trip takes a little over an hour, assuming traffic isn’t bad. But it should rarely ever take more than an hour and 40 minutes at the worst. You can find and book tickets in advance below.

The van dropoff is on Naresuan Street, about a 30-minute walk from Wat Phra Si Sanphet. Check out the map below for walking directions if you’re up for some exercise.

There should also be the local frog-headed tuk-tuks waiting to take passengers right around the van stop. They usually charge by the hour (250 baht or around US$ 6.5).

Final Thoughts

Now that you know its history in full, would you skip Wat Phra Si Sanphet when you visit Ayutthaya? No, right? It’s really like skipping tacos in Mexico City!

Before you get curious about the ancient palace next door to the temple, you can walk over to see it, but there’s not much left. Just trees, mostly.

You see, most of the ancient palace was torn down and transported to Bangkok. The bricks were used to construct the city wall when it became the new capital city in 1782.

Practical FAQs

Get Ready for Thailand

Before you go, here’s a checklist of what to do before your plane lands!

• Memorize some basic Thai phrases to make your life easier
• Learn what to do and what not to do when in Thailand
• Have a fun read on the cultural structures of Thailand

Most importantly, don’t forget to do research on the safer and more convenient areas to be in Bangkok. Since you’re interested in Ayutthaya, I’m assuming you’re going to Bangkok, too. Am I right?

There’s more where that came from. Get full access to all the guides I have on my Thailand Cultural Travel page. Think of it like an information hub for travelers to my home country, if you will!

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