Wat Chedi Luang temple tour in Chiang Mai

Wat Chedi Luang temple tour

Discover Wat Chedi Luang temple tour and the great Wat Chedi Luang (Temple of the Big Stupa), it is the impressive ruins of a temple in the center of Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. The original temple dates back from the 14th and 15th centuries. King Saen Muang Ma (r.1385-1401) began construction on Wat Chedi Luang in 1391 to hold the ashes of his father, Ku Na. The building was then expanded by later kings, reaching its final form in 1475. It was then given the greatest traditional honor: To house the Emerald Buddha, the holiest religious object in Thailand (which is now kept in Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok). At this time, Wat Chedi Luang rose to a height of 84m (280 ft.).
A century later, a large-scale earthquake (1545) toppled part of the great spire. The Emerald Buddha was kept in the chedi for another six years, and was then moved to Luang Prabang for security reasons by the king. Five years later, Chiang Mai fell to the Burmese. Under their regime, the temple was never rebuilt, but even at its post-earthquake height (60m) it remained the tallest structure in Chiang Mai,until modern times. Several viharns were added to the temple in subsequent years; the largest viharn was built in 1928.

The ruined brick chedi of Wat Chedi Luang now rises to about 60 meters in height. Its base is 44m (144 ft.) wide. It features four sides, each with a niche, which is accessible via a monumental stairway flanked by stone statues of Nagas (mythical snakes). Elephant statues guard the platform on its direct center. Despite its ruined state, the chedi still has several Buddha shrines and remains an active place of worship frequented by monks all over Asia.

Visit on Wat Chedi Luang temple tour the large viharn (assembly hall), next to the ruined chedi, was built in 1928. Its impressive interior, with round columns supporting a high red ceiling, the viharn contains a standing Buddha statue, which is known as the Phra Chao Attarot, the statue is cast out of brass alloy and mortar. The Buddha dates from the time of the temple’s founder, King Saen Muang Ma (late 14th century).

Next to the entrance is a great Dipterocarp tree, one of three trees, which are mythologically revered as the sacred protectors of the city. Legend has it that if this tree falls, a catastrophe of great magnitude will follow. Also protecting Chiang Mai, is the city pillar or “Spirit of the City” (Lak Mueang), which is kept safe in a small cross-shaped building next to the tree. The pillar was moved here from its original position at Wat Sadoe Muang in 1800.

Wat Chedi Luang temple tour you will uncover also another temple, as sharing the already magnificent grounds of Wat Chedi Luang is another temple, “Wat Phan Tao”. Its wooden viharn has beautiful carvings around the door and the roof’s carved details, and it also contains a large reclining Buddha statue.