Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat วัดพระศรีรัตนมหาธาตุ "Temple of the Great Jewelled Reliquary"), colloquially referred to as Wat Phra Sri วัดพระศรี or Wat Yai วัดใหญ่ "Big Temple". It is one of 24 royal first class temples in all o…
Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat วัดพระศรีรัตนมหาธาตุ "Temple of the Great Jewelled Reliquary"), colloquially referred to as Wat Phra Sri วัดพระศรี or Wat Yai วัดใหญ่ "Big Temple". It is one of 24 royal first class temples in all of Thailand. It is a Buddhist temple (wat) in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand, where it is located on east bank of the Nan River, near the Naresuan Bridge. It is about 337 km (209 mi) from Bangkok.
Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, known among the locals as "Wat Yai", was founded in 1357 by King Lithai of Sukhothai. The temple was built at the same time as Wat Phra Phuttha Chinna Si and Wat Phra Si Satsadaram.
During the reign of King Ekathotsarot of Ayutthaya, its Buddha image was gilded and the temple was later developed by King Chulalongkorn and King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Rattanakosin.
The temple is very famous because of its golden Buddha image called Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, which is considered by some Thais to be the most beautiful Buddha image in the country.
The temple is famous for its gold covered statue of the Buddha, known as Phra Phuttha Chinnarat พระพุทธชินราช "King of Victory". It is considered one of the most beautiful and the classical magnificent Buddha figures in Thailand and receive the highest worship among Thai people, equivalent to Luang Pho Sothon of Wat Sothonwararam in Chachoengsao Province (not including Emerald Buddha).
This Buddha statue was cast together with other statues of the same Buddha, including Phra Phuttha Chinna Si พระพุทธชินสีห์ and Phra Si Satsada พระศรีศาสดา, which are currently enshrined in this temple.
The temple's large vihara has an immense main entrance with mother-of-pearl inserts donated by King Boromakot in 1756. Beyond the wihan is a Khmer style prang, the inside of which can be accessed via a stairway. The prang is said to enshrine relics of the Buddha.
The temple is very well maintained and full of interesting history. It’s one of the royal first class temples and like all of the oth..
