Legend has it that in the fourth century of the Buddhist era, or about two thousand years ago, two Indian cities disputed the possession of a Buddha tooth relic. An Indian prince and princess of the city which lost, called Tontaburi, fled with the relic to Sri Lanka. Their sampan was wrecked, but the sea, anxious to conserve the relic, cast them up on the Beach of Crystal Sands in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Wat Phra Mahathat was subsequently established to mark the site of this miraculous event, and the sacred Buddha tooth enshrined at its heart.
The chedi as it now stands is of the Sri Lankan style, towering 78 metres above the city. On top of the bell-shaped base is a square platform with gilded figures of eight of the followers of the Lord Buddha, with, above this, a spire covered in gold leaf. Estimates put the weight of gold used in decorating the chedi at just under a thousand kilograms, or one metric tonne!
Continuing restorations have maintained the monument, preserving it as one of Thailand's most important temples. It covers a huge area – some 25 rai – and is distinguished not only by the chedi, but by the Phra Rabieng, a series of galleries or cloisters with numerous Buddha images, 158 lesser chedis, and related satellite structures.