Founded around 1350, Ayutthaya became the second capital of Siam after Sukhothai. Throughout the centuries, the ideal location between China, India and the Malay Archipelago made Ayutthaya the trading capital of Asia and even the world. By 1700 Ayutthaya had become the largest city in the world with a total of 1 million inhabitants. Today, only a few remains might give a glimpse of the impressive city they must have seen. Most of the remains are temples and palaces, as those were the only buildings made of stone at that time. Ayutthaya's ruins were officially recognized in 1991, when the Historic City became an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wat Mahathat is one of the major temples in Ayutthaya. At the height of this ancient kingdom, it was one of the main Buddhist monasteries, royal ceremonies took place there. Today, Wat Mahathat attracts tens of thousands of tourists each year, thanks to its rich history and undeniable sacredness, but also thanks to a small head of a Buddha trapped in the roots of a Banyan tree. Expect lots of tourists spending a lot of time taking photos and selfies in front of the head.