The temple's tall prang is better preserved that Wat Phra Ram, with many nagas, garudas and other statues beautifully rendered in stucco.
The temple was the center of a modern-day crime caper worthy of Hollywood. In 1956, the authorities decided to excavate the ruins of Wat Mahathat's central tower, which had collapsed many years before, after reports of precious items being found were heard. What they found was an absolute treasure of artifacts buried deep in a shaft at the center of the old prang.