Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the grandest and holiest temple of Ayutthaya, built within the grounds of the royal palace to serve as the kings' private chapel, so no monks ever lived there. Its defining feature, and the single most iconic image of the whole city, is a row of three restored bell-shaped chedis standing in a stately line, each raised in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries to enshrine the ashes of three Ayutthaya kings. The temple once held a sixteen-metre standing Buddha covered in gold, later stripped and melted down when the Burmese sacked the capital, and the surviving brick platforms and column stumps around the chedis hint at how vast the complex once was. Set beside the old palace ruins, it is one of the most photogenic spots in Ayutthaya, particularly in the golden light of late afternoon. It sits within easy reach of the other central monuments and is an essential stop on any visit.