Wat Phra Phutthabat

Royal Temple Of The Buddha'S Footprint, Found In The Early 17th Century · Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi

Wat Phra Phutthabat, in full Wat Phra Phutthabat Ratcha Woramahawihan, is a royal temple in Saraburi province, about two hours north of Bangkok, built around a stone footprint that Thai Buddhists revere as a footprint of the Buddha. The footprint was found in the early 17th century, in the reign of King Songtham of Ayutthaya, and kings have honoured it ever since. It lies inside a gilded, many-tiered mondop, a square pavilion with a tall spire, on a raised terrace reached by grand stairways lined with the bodies of serpent nagas. Pilgrims crowd around the footprint to offer flowers, incense, gold leaf and coins, then walk the terrace striking rows of bells for merit. Twice a year, around February and March by the lunar calendar, big pilgrimage fairs fill the temple and the town. The hill behind has monkeys, and a market sells souvenirs and food at the foot of the steps. It is an easy stop between Bangkok and Lopburi or Khao Yai.

Khun Khlon, Phra Phutthabat, Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi, 18120, Thailand

NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the temple grounds are open daily from early morning, around 7 or 8 am, to about 5 or 6 pm, with the mondop open to visitors during the day and no weekly closing day known; the market keeps roughly the same hours and is busiest on weekends. The pilgrimage fairs, roughly in February and March by the lunar calendar, bring longer hours, road closures and very large crowds. Royal ceremonies can close parts of the temple. The traps that ruin a day are arriving on a fair day without knowing and losing hours in traffic, coming in shorts and being refused at the mondop, visiting at noon from March to May with bare feet on hot stone, and trying to fit Lopburi and Khao Yai into the same day. Confirm current times before relying on them.

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