Chiang Mai is overflowing with ancient, mostly Buddhist Temples: There are over 300 temples inside and outside the old city walls, some dating back to when the city was founded in 1296. You will discover a rich mix of Thai and Burmese influences in temple bulding. The following overview helps you to decide, which path you want to choose: Leave the old city for the northern, eastern, southern or western direction? You decide.
North of the old city wall
Wat Chiang Chom วัดเชียงโฉม: Picture by Prince Robert.
Wat Chiang Yuen วัดเชียงยืน:
Manee Nopparat Road. It is unknown, when this temple has been built. But it was maintained by the Burmese during their occupation of Chiang Mai, most of the structures date from this period. The white chedi with golden details and Shan style lion dogs guarding the corners is the main feature of this temple. The viharn is guarded by two naga serpents along the stairway. Women are not allowed to go inside. The bright red doors are decorated with gold leafs. Every King of the Kingdom of Chiang Mai had to pay homage to the Buddha image called Phra Sapphanyu Chao พระสัพพัญญูเจ้า (in the viharn) before his coronation.
Picture by Flying PharmacistSee a gallery by ludwig_zwei
Wat Khu Tao วัดกู่เต้า เชียงใหม่: There is a very special Chedi. It is thought to have been built in 1613 to hold the ashes of Prince Saravadi (1578-1607), the first Burmese overlord of Chiang Mai. Tao is the name for melon in northern Thai. "The unique design of the pagoda is probably derived from prototypes in Yunnan Province, China, which were introduced to Thailand from traders and migrants hailing from that area. The series of five diminishing spheres comprising the body of the pagoda represents the five Buddhas of the present age", notes orientalarchitecture.com.
Picture by marhasThe Chedi at Wat Khu Tao
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Wat Pa Pao วัดป่าเป้า: 58 Manee Nopparat Road. The Burmese style temple was established in 1883 by the Ngiew people (also known as Phugam people), Tai tribesmen, who lived in Chiang Mai and belonged to the Shan. Pao trees gave the temple shadow and its name. In 1891, King Inthawichayanon ordered the construction of the chedi and a wooden wiharn. The wiharn has been replaced by an unusual stone one. Today the temple is a community center for the Shan in Chiang Mai. In February 1997, the Abbot of the temple, with other community leaders, set up a foundation to promote the education of Shan people and preserve their culture. One of the biggest celebrations here is the annual Poi Sang Long festival in april. Poi Sang Long is a ceremony for Tai tribe youths, when they become novices and enter monkhood. Read more on chiangmai-mail.com and about the Wat Pa Pao Foundation.
Picture by marhasThe stone Chedi
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Picture by marhasThe wooden viharn
Picture by marhasDetails of the roof
Picture by marhasSee also gallery by ludwig-zwei
East of the old city wall
Pung Tao Gong: Chinese shrine in Kad Luang, the chinatown of Chiang Mai, constructed during the reign of Rama V., it is believed in 1878. Around 1996 the temple was rebuilt. "Approaching from the main road you walk through (...) colourful arches, columns and pagodas all richly decorated", notes chiangmai-chiangrai.com.
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Billy007See more pictures on tribudragonthai.blogspot.com
Picture Billy007Wat Buppharam วัดบุปผาราม: Founded and constructed in 1497 by King Phra Mueang Kaeo. When the Burmese conquered the city in 1561 Mon monks took over the temple, therefore it's also known under the name of Wat Mon. In 1819 king Thamma Langka let restore the white Viharn. The big Viharn (วิหารหลังใหญ่) was founded by King Kawilorot Suriyawong some years later. Its image of Buddha has been created from brass. Mural paintings tell the story of prince Vessanatara. The doors were decorated with wooden carvings in 1983 showing the mythological wood of Himaphan at the sides of mount Meru.The Ho Monthian Tham หอมณเฑียรธรรม (Dhamma-Hall) was constructed by Phra Udom Kitti Mongkon instead of an old wooden construction and finished in 1996. Here you don't find the traditional Lanna style, the construction has a cruciform shape, in the center there is a structure in the shape of a mondop. The entrance is guarded by Makara's, a creature from Hindu mythology, partly sea animal, partly land animal. On the second floor you will see two important Buddha images: Phra Phuttha Naret Sakchai Phairi-Phinat (พระพุทธนเรศร์สักชัยไพรีพินาศ) in the Bhumisparsha posture. This is the largest teak wood Buddha image in Thailand. The wood carvings behind show the history of the Buddha image. The legend says that King Naresuan let create the image after he had defeated the Burmese in 1604. The Chedi in Burmese and Mon style, more than 400 years old, is guarded by four Burmese style lions, called Singha in Thai. All four sides of the base of the chedi contain a Buddha image. Read more on renown-travel.com and see video by Jean Dupont.
Picture by marhasHo Monthian Tham หอมณเฑียรธรรม
Picture by marhasDonald Duck in front of the temple
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Picture by marhasPhra Phuttha Naret Sakchai Phairi-Phinat พระพุทธนเรศร์สักชัยไพรีพินาศ
Picture by marhasPhra Chedi
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Picture Ben Cullen-KerneyWat Saen Fang วัดแสนฝาง: Built in 14th century, present buildings are from 19th century onward according to orientalarchitecture.com. Like Wat Phan Tao the viharn at Wat Saen Fang used to serve as the ho kham (palace residence) of Chao Kawilorot in the 1860s. His successor converted the structure into a viharn in 1878. The Burmese-style chedi is the central building of the wat, with a ho trai and ubosot located to the west. Phra Chedi Mongkol Saen Mahachai looks similar to Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon.
Picture by marhasThe prayer hall - Phra Viharn Lai Kham - has a carved front.
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Picture by marhasWat U-Pakut:
Picture dollopeteWat Ket Karam วัดเกตุการาม:
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West of the old city wall
Wat Suan Dok วัดสวนดอก: This translates as Flower Garden Temple. A legend says, that the Lanna King Ku Na invited Sumana Thera, a monk from Sukhothai, to bring the Buddhism of Sri Lanka to Chiang Mai. The King in 1370 offered him the royal flower garden to build a temple. The monk brought a holy relic from Buddha with him, that had been buried near Sukothai. When the relic was about to be placed at the temple, he discovered that it had split into two pieces. One of these was buried at Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, the other one kept at Wat Suan Dok, within the 48 meter high bell shaped chedi, built in Sri Lankan style. Stairs on all four sides originally led up to a terrace encircling the chedi, but they have been replaced by ramps, which are decorated with seven-headed nāgas emerging from the mouths of makaras. The large viharn is located east of the main chedi. It was built in 1932 by the monk Phra Krubra Srivichai, who also built an ubosot and restored the chedi. The main Buddha images inside the viharn look out at opposite directions. The statue of the Buddha seated in meditation (Bhumisparsha Mudrā) looks towards the east, the other image, a standing Buddha holding a bundle of straw, faces west towards the chedi. Placed in front of the seated statue one finds a smaller Buddha in Lanna style, created during King Kue Na's time. The feet of this statue are unusual: the toes are individually formed. The ubosot to the South contains a 4.70 m high bronze Buddha statue in the Bhumisparsha-Mudra posture, which was cast in 1504 during the rule of King Mueang Kaeo. A groupe of white washed mausoleums in the northwestern quarter of the temple house the cremation ashes of members of the royal family of Chiang Mai. At the beginning of the 20th century, Princess Dara Rasmi, one of the wives of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and daughter of the Lanna king Inthawichayanon, had the ashes collected from different sites around Chiang Mai.
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Picture by marhasWat Saen Fang:
South of the old city wall
Wiang Kum Kam เวียงกุมกาม: The former King Mengrai built his residence from 1287 onwards. He let also build Wat Ku Kham, similar to the Chedi Ku Khut at Wat Chamadevi in Lamphun. Today the Chedi in Dvaravati style has the name Wat Chedi Liam. Around the beginning of the 16th century Wiang Kum Kam has been devastated by a flood. After 1986 Wat Chang Kham วัดช้างค้ำ (built 1291) and Wat Chedi Liam วัดเจดีย์เหลี่ยม were restored.
Also part of Wiang Kum Kam: Wat Pu Pia (วัดปู่เปี้ย) has an Ubosot, a Viharn and a Chedi.
More temples in Chiang Mai:
Phra Doi Suthep
Temples inside the Old City Wall of Chiang Mai - for your individual Walking Tour
Where to eat:
Chiang Mai's Restaurants and Food Stalls: Food prepared with love
Discover more:
Your Guide to Chiang Mai
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