Buddhism

Buddhism reached Sukhothai through monks and traders from Sri Lanka, a large island country southeast of India. The kings supported Buddhism and built many temples (wat).

At the UNESCO Sukhothai Historical Park, you can still see:

• Wat Mahathat, the main temple, once used for important ceremonies
  
  

• Large Buddha statues, often seated or walking, showing calm and peace
  
  

• Stupas (round or bell-shaped structures) used to hold sacred objects
  
  

These buildings show how important Buddhism was to daily life and government.