Wat Phra Si Sanphet Temple

Address: Naresuan Rd, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000, Thailand

Website: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/historic-city-of- Ayutthaya-00144

Hours: Daily 8am-6pm (general temple area)

Admission: Part of Ayutthaya Historical Park; combined ticket for major sites approx. 50-100 THB (varies)

Wat Phra Si Sanphet is a major ruined temple within the Ayutthaya Historical Park in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, Thailand, and was the royal chapel while the city was capital of the Ayutthaya kingdom. The site is noted for its three large bell-shaped chedis on a raised terrace.

The temple precinct is dominated by the three tall bell-shaped chedis, set in a formal arrangement that once marked the royal temple precinct adjacent to the palace. Open ruins of halls and foundations surround the chedis and form a compact archaeological site suitable for walking and photography.

Many visitors combine a visit with other monuments in the Ayutthaya Historical Park; the site is accessible on foot from nearby ruins and is one of the park’s most photographed locations. The flat setting makes the chedis visible across the surrounding archaeological landscape.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet served as the main royal temple in Ayutthaya and was used for royal ceremonies until the Burmese sack of Ayutthaya in 1767, which left the site in ruins. The surviving chedis and foundations date from the period when Ayutthaya was the Siamese capital.

The temple sits on the central island of the Ayutthaya archaeological zone, within the Ayutthaya Historical Park, north of Bangkok by road (around 80 kilometres). It is reached via the park’s network of roads and footpaths.

• Key visual feature: Part of the Ayutthaya Historical Park, the temple’s three large chedis are the site’s dominant feature and are frequently photographed during the dry season.

What to See#

• Three Chedis: Three large bell-shaped chedis aligned on a raised terrace that dominate the site and are the temple’s most recognisable structures.
• Viharn and Temple Compound: The ordination hall and the remains of the temple compound which originally adjoined the royal palace area of Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya is about 80 km north of Bangkok. Trains from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong and long-distance buses arrive in Ayutthaya; from the station or bus terminal the temple complex is a short tuk-tuk ride or a 20-30 minute bicycle ride through the historic zone.

• Go at sunrise to see the ruins in cool light and before tour buses arrive.
• Combine Wat Phra Si Sanphet with a walk around the Grand Palace ruins nearby - they are part of the same royal precinct.
• Respect the temple: remove shoes before entering buildings where requested and dress modestly.