Phra Mae Ya Shrine

Phra Mae Ya Shrine situated in front of the City Hall. Thanon Nikhon Kasem, by the Yom River, the shrine is highly respected by Sukhothai residents. It houses and idol of Phra Mae Ya, a stone figure with a long face, tapered chin, long halo, and dressed as an ancient queen.

The idol is about 1 meter high and is supposed to have been built during King Ramkhamhaeng the Great’s reign as a dedication to his late mother Nang Sueang. In this connections, the word Phra Mae Ya or grandmother in Thai is literally a term of endearment since the local people regarded King Ramkhamhaeng the Great as their fathers. The statue was formerly housed in a rock shelter of Phra Mae Ya Mountain. The Sukhothai residents later relocated it to the present shrine situated in front of the City Hall. The shrine is also believed to house the spirit of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great. The Phra Mae Ya Fair is held annually in late February.