Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (Lopburi)

About this place

Lopburi's largest and oldest temple ruin, directly opposite the railway station, bringing all the city's eras together in one compound. At its centre rises a tall laterite Khmer tower from the twelfth or thirteenth century, decorated with fine stucco, surrounded by smaller towers and stupas in the varied styles of the later Ayutthaya period. Its highlight is the great brick prayer hall that King Narai restored in the seventeenth century, with pointed-arch windows in the style brought by Persian and European influence, the same style as his palace nearby. Some walls keep stucco reliefs of kneeling figures, and paths between grass and ruins make wandering easy. The fee is about fifty baht, the combined Lopburi ticket is valid here, and it opens from morning until about five in the afternoon. The heat is fierce from March to May, so early morning is best. There are fewer monkeys here than at Phra Prang Sam Yot. Start here when you arrive by train, then walk to the royal palace and Phra Prang Sam Yot, all within a small walking circle.