Wat Mahachai (Wat Nuea)

Located in Talat Sub-district, formerly known as Wat Nuea, it is a royal monastery of Grade 3 and is a temple that is a symbol of Maha Sarakham. It was founded in 2408 BE (1865 CE) during the reign of King Rama IV by Phra Charoen Rachadetch (Khuat), the first governor of Maha Sarakham, along with the people of Maha Sarakham, who helped build it on an area of approximately 16,000 square meters. Phra Kru Suwan Dee Sil Sangwon was the first abbot. Later, in 2472 BE (1929 CE), Phra Sarakham Muni (Sarapho Phutthanon), the 18th abbot, requested to change the name from 'Wat Nuea' to 'Wat Mahachai'. Interesting things within the temple include the Northeastern Local Cultural Center, or Local Museum Hall, which is a place for preserving and exhibiting antiques and artifacts collected by Phra Ariyanuvat Kemacharee, the former abbot, from various sources. These include ancient documents such as ancient scriptures, palm-leaf manuscripts in Khmer, Lao, and Thai Noi scripts, ancient boundary stones of both laterite and stupa-เสมา types, ancient jars, as well as ancient Buddha images, all of which have historical value. Open daily from 09:00 to 16:00.