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Wat Mahathat and the Royal Palace in Sukhothai
Here, the famous stone inscription of King Ramkhamhaeng was found by King Mongkut in the 19th century together with a piece of the stone throne called "Manangkhasila Asana" King Ramkhamhaeng set up the throne in the midst of a sugarpalm grove where at his request, a monk preached on Buddhist Subbath days and the king conducted the affairs of state on other days. This throne was later installed in Bangkok’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
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The Royal Palace lies in the center of the town and covers an area of 160,000 square meters. This area is surrounded by a moat and contains two main compounds: the royal building and the sanctuary in the palace. In the royal compound exist the ruins of the royal building called Noen Phrasat, which might be Sala Phramat or Buddha Sala mentioned in a Sukhothai stone inscription.
A sanctuary lies to the west behind the Royal Palace compound. It is Sukhothai’s large Wat and a customary main Chedi in lotus-bud shape, and a ruined Vihara. At the base of the Chedi stand Buddhist disciples in adoration and on the pedestal seated Buddha images. In front of this reliquary in large Vihara formerly containing a remarkable seated bronze buddha image of Sukhothai Style, which was cast and installed by King Lithai of Sukhothai in 1362. At the end of the 18th century, the image was removed to the Vihara Luang of Wat Suthai in Bangkok by the order of the King Rama 1 and has since been named Phra Si Sakaya Muni. In front of the large Vihara is another smaller Vihara which was probably built during the Ayutthaya period. Its main Buddha image (8 m. high) was installed inside a separate building. In front of the southern image a piece of sculpture call "Khom Dam Din" (a Khamer who came by was of walking underground_ was found, and is now kept in Phra Mae Ya Shrine near the Sukhothai City Hall. On the South stands a pedestal of a large Chedi built up in steps, the lowest platform is adorned with beautiful stucco figures of demons, elephants, lions with angels riding on their backs. Mural paintings adorn the crept to this Chedi.
