Adjacent to Wat Mahathat, located on the eastern side and only a stone's throw away from the ancient palace, Wat Ratchaburana is one of the largest and most historic temples in Ayutthaya. It was constructed by King Borommarachathirat II, also known as Chao Sam Phraya, in 1967 BE. The temple gained significant notoriety due to an incident in 1956, when a group of thieves illicitly dug into the main stupa (prang) and made off with a vast treasure. Later, the Fine Arts Department undertook restoration work, during which they discovered a wealth of remaining treasures and numerous gold artifacts.