Wat Mahathat Sankhaburi
An Old Temple in an Ancient Town

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

When people talk about visiting Chai Nat, most think of the bird park or the Chao Phraya Dam first. But if you like wandering around old ruins without crowds elbowing you, Wat Mahathat in Sankhaburi district is worth budgeting time for. The temple sits in the middle of the ancient town of "Mueang Phraek" (also called "Mueang Sankha") on the banks of the Noi River, and it was once the principal temple and the centre of this old town.

The temple was originally known as "Wat Phra That" or "Wat Hua Mueang." It's believed to date back to before the Ayutthaya era, with building work continuing across several periods. The architecture you see most clearly today is early-Ayutthaya in style. The Fine Arts Department registered it as a historic site back in 1935, and King Rama V visited here in 1901.

What to See on the Grounds

The charm of Wat Mahathat lies in the group of prangs and stupas lined up across roughly 19 rai (about 3 hectares). You can walk the whole thing without any climbing, and the original stucco detail is still visible in several spots.

• The star-apple prang — the temple's standout. A brick-and-mortar prang set on a square base, with a tiered top shaped like the lobes of a star apple (carambola), which is where the name comes from. It's early-Ayutthaya art with Khmer–Lopburi influence, and you can still make out traces of fairly delicate stucco work.
• Octagonal satellite stupas — around 10 satellite stupas arranged in two rows, the front row with octagonal bases. Walking among them shows you how the builders of the time laid out a cluster of stupas.
• The large main stupa — a big square base at the back of the temple. The upper section has crumbled with time, but the base still hints at how large the original was.
• The old royal vihara and ordination hall — the foundation lines of the vihara and ordination hall run parallel to each other, helping you picture the temple layout back when the old town was still thriving.
• Luang Pho Mo / Luang Pho Lak Mueang — a Buddha image in the subduing-Mara pose that locals revere, a spot for paying respects alongside your walk through the ruins.

Traces of the Old Town Around the Temple

Wat Mahathat sits within the ancient town of Sankhaburi, which was once an important frontier town. So the area around it is scattered with old temples and the remains of the town moat. If you make it here and travel just a little further, the picture of the old town comes into sharper focus.

How to Visit and Get There

• Location — Phraek Si Racha subdistrict, Sankhaburi district, Chai Nat province, about 20 km from Chai Nat town. It's roughly a 25–30 min drive from the town centre.
• Getting there — easiest by private car or rental, since it's outside the town and public transport doesn't run here often. There's parking at the temple.
• Admission — it's a temple and historic site, open to visit with no entrance fee. Donate as you see fit.
• Best time — early morning or late afternoon, when the sun isn't harsh, makes for easy walking and photos. Most of the grounds are out in the open.
• What to wear — it's a temple, so dress modestly, and wear comfortable shoes since you'll be walking on bare ground and grass.

A Half-Day Trip Around Sankhaburi