Phra Mae Ya Shrine

About this place

Located in front of the Sukhothai Provincial Hall on Nikorn Kasem Road, along the Yom River, this shrine is highly revered by the people of Sukhothai. The shrine houses the spirit of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great and a statue of Phra Mae Ya, a deity statue carved from stone. The statue features an elongated face, a sharp chin, and a tall headdress adorned in a queenly style, standing 1 meter tall. It is believed that the Phra Mae Ya Shrine was built during the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng to dedicate to his mother, Nang Seuang. The name "Phra Mae Ya" comes from the fact that King Ramkhamhaeng referred to his mother as "Phra Mae," and since the people of Sukhothai revered him as a father figure, they called his mother "Phra Mae Ya." Originally, the shrine was located on Phra Mae Ya Hill, where a rock shelter protected it from sun and rain. Later, the people of Sukhothai moved the statue to the new city, where they built a shrine in front of the provincial hall, as it stands today. Every year, around the end of February, a celebration called the "Phra Mae Ya Festival" is held at the shrine.