Home to Ayutthaya's most photographed image: a sandstone Buddha head cradled in the roots of a banyan tree. Nobody knows exactly how it got there, though the tree likely grew around the fallen head over centuries after the Burmese destruction.
Founded in the 14th century, Wat Mahathat was one of the most important temples in the kingdom, housing a relic of the Buddha. The central prang once stood 46 metres tall before it collapsed. The sprawling grounds still reward a slow wander through rows of headless Buddha statues and crumbling stupas.