It was built before the Sukhothai period and was a royal temple from the beginning. This is evidenced by inscriptions from Sukhothai, which state that King Sri Nawanatham commissioned the Phra Tooth Reliqui Sukontha Chedi with a central prang and four chapels, one in each cardinal direction. In 1915, King Rama VI elevated the temple to the rank of a first-class royal temple of the Woramahawihan type. Its full name today is Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Woramahawihan. The chapel houses the Phra Buddha Chinnarat, or "Luang Pho Yai," a Buddha statue in the Mara Vijaya pose. The Buddha statue is made of bronze. This late Sukhothai-period Buddha statue measures 5 cubits wide, 5 inches in wingspan, and 7 cubits high. It was cast during the reign of Phra Maha Thammaracha I (Phaya Lithai), who also created Phra Buddha Chinnarat, Phra Buddha Chinnasri, and Phra Si Satsada. The statue is in the shape of a lotus flower and is considered one of the most beautiful Buddha images in Thailand. Its lines are graceful, the face rather round with arched eyebrows. The crown is flame-shaped. A distinctive feature is "tigongkuli," meaning that the tips of all four fingers are the same length. The "Glass Pavilion" is made of carved wood and dates from the Ayutthaya period. Its body is modeled after a dragon, but it has an elephant-like trunk at the end. A crocodile-like lizard is depicted in the center of the pavilion. Two Asura deities, "Thao Wessuwan" and "Yak Arawak," protect it. According to legend, Phra Buddha Chinnarat was created during the reign of Phra Sri Thammatraipitak (Phaya Lithai) along with “Phra Buddha Chinnasri” and “Phra Si Satsada” by craftsmen from Si Satchanalai and the city of Hariphunchai.

Only two statues were successfully cast during the casting process. The gold flow in Phra Phuttha Chinnarat was uneven, requiring three recastings. The last time, on Thursday, the second day of the waxing moon in the sixth month of the Year of the Snake 319 BE (Chula Sakarat), "Phra In" transformed into "Chi Phakhao" to assist with the gold casting, allowing it to finally be completed. Phra Phuttha Chinnasi and Phra Si Satsada were originally intended for Wat Bowonniwet Vihara in Bangkok. Therefore, the temple commissioned a replica instead. From the gold remnants left over from the casting of Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, Phra Phuttha Chinnasi, and Phra Si Satsada, Phraya Lithai instructed the artisans to cast a small Buddha statue in the Mara Vijaya pose, with a lap width of approximately 1 sok, from the remaining bronze. This Buddha statue, called "Phra Lue," stood in front of the ordination hall. The main prang, however, housed the sacred relics of Buddha. It was built during the reign of King Sri Nawanathom and looks back on a history spanning thousands of years.

Address: 92/3 Phutthabucha Road, Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang Phitsanulok District, Phitsanulok Province

Opening hours: Daily from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Facebook: Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Phitsanulok