Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya was first built around the 9th century out of brick and mortar by the sea-faring Srivijaya kingdom, whose empire spread to Indonesia and Java, with Chaiya as their capital.
Though Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya was restored in the 20th century, it’s retained its original shape, albeit with the addition of some Thai artistic elements. The central chedi, with its gold embellishments and slender spire is said to enshrine Buddhist relics. The cloisters surround it are lined with various images of the Buddha, giving you plenty of reason to circumambulate. Tucked away near a Bodhi tree on the other side of the cloisters you’ll find 3 sandstone Buddhas from the Ayutthaya-era. For more historic statues, head to the Chaiya National Museum is next door, which has some Dvaravati- and Ayutthaya-era sculptures as well as a 1,300-year-old Avalokitesvara head in its collection.
