Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai

Wat Mahathat is the principal temple of Sukhothai Historical Park and the symbolic heart of the former capital, housing the remains of what was once among the most significant Buddhist complexes in the Sukhothai Kingdom. The central mondop is surrounded by a moat and approached through lotus-filled ponds, with dozens of smaller chedis and Buddha images filling the surrounding compound. The park as a whole is a UNESCO World Heritage property and is most often explored by bicycle on flat paths connecting the various ruins. Dawn and dusk cast long shadows across the laterite prang and seated Buddhas.