Three towering chedis, also called stupas and perhaps best defined as domed shrines, dominate Wat Phra Si Sanphet and once held the remains of three Siamese rulers: King Boromatrailokanat, King Ramathibodhi and King Boromarachathirat III. First constructed in 1350, the temple was also home to a massive Buddha, which stood more than 50 feet tall and was covered in gold. Sadly, that statue was destroyed when the Burmese destroyed Ayutthaya, but visitors are in luck: Another massive, bronze Buddha, better known Phra Mongkhon Bophit, has since been erected and sits just a five-minute walk west of Wat Phra Si Sanphet’s stunning stupas.
Housed now within its own contemporary temple, Phra Mongkhon Bophit, is more than 40 feet tall and 30 feet wide at its base. Travelers looking to capture images of the enormous bronze statue, one of the largest in Thailand, will want to bring a camera that performs well in low light.