The story of Phra Phutthabat dates from the early seventeenth century, when King Songtham of Ayutthaya (r. 1611-1628) sent monks to Sri Lanka to worship the Sumankut Buddha footprint. The Sri Lankans told the monks that according to ancient scriptures the Buddha had also left a footprint in central Siam. On hearing this, King Songtham ordered a search for the footprint, which was subsequently discovered in 1623 by a hunter, after a wounded deer he was following emerged from some bushes miraculously healed.
The hunter pushed aside the undergrowth to find a foot-shaped impression almost two meters long, which immediately cured him of a skin disease. A temple was built on the site, but was destroyed by the Burmese in 1765. The present buildings were erected by the early kings of Bangkok and improved upon by subsequent rulers.
Religious festivals held at the temple in the early spring and late fall are among the most sacred in Thailand. An estimated 800,000 pilgrims attend them in an effort to boost their merit. The first festival, held in the third lunar month, is popular with Chinese since it corresponds with the Chinese New Year. There is a mural of the fair at Wat Maha Samanaram in Phetchaburi, painted by Khrua In Khong.