Wat Mahathat Worawihan

Wat Mahathat Worawihan is a first-class Royal Temple of the Worawihan type located in Na Mueang, Mueang Ratchaburi, Ratchaburi town. It is notable for its central Khmer-influenced prang surrounded by later Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin structures, well-preserved murals, and a small museum. Situated on the west bank of the Mae Klong River, it serves as the principal Buddhist temple of Ratchaburi Province.

Visitors can expect a walled temple compound with a central laterite prang, ordination hall (ubosot), viharns, cloisters with Buddha images, and a two-storey museum displaying Buddha images, ceramics and artifacts. The grounds are paved and landscaped with mature trees, chedis and shrines. Visitors can walk around the prang, view murals inside the viharn, explore the museum, and observe local merit-making activities in a calm, active religious setting.

The temple was originally founded as a Mahayana Buddhist sanctuary during the Khmer period, around the 13th century, evidenced by the central prang built of laterite. It was later developed as a Theravada Buddhist temple during the Ayutthaya period and extensively restored in the Rattanakosin period. It was elevated to a Royal Temple of Worawihan class and remains the principal temple of Ratchaburi Province.

As the principal royal temple of Ratchaburi, it is an important center for Theravada Buddhism, religious ceremonies and local festivals. It houses revered Buddha images and murals reflecting central Thai Buddhist art, and serves as a cultural landmark for the community on the Mae Klong River.