Wat Phra Singh temple tour in Chiang Mai

Wat Phra Singh temple tour – Chiang Mai temples tours

Wat Phra Singh temple tour. Wat Phra Singh was built in the year of 1345 by King Pha Yu. It was intended for it to house the ashes of his father, King Kham Fu. It is thought to be the first monastery to ever house the Emerald Buddha, which was later housed in Wat Chedi Luang. The emerald Buddha is currently enshrined in Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok. The temple is especially named for the Buddha image it housed in 1367. The Phra Singh (Lion Buddha).

The temple-monastery fell into disrepair as the population levels of Chiang Mai declined in the 18th century. Luckily, restoration began in the early 19th century under the command of Chao Kavila. The work continued under his successor, Chao Thammalangka, who commissioned the murals in Viharn Lai Kham.

Wat Phra Singh temple tour to diescover Wat Phra Singh as it is an important temple and a major monastery, housing 700 monks which have lived there most of their lives.

The largest building is Viharn Luang (viharn=assembly hall), rebuilt in 1925 in the place where the 14th-century original was. The building was then extensively restored in 2008. The three-aisled interior is an astonishing view. Its roof is quite high, and is painted a powerful shade of red. The roof is supported by robust white columns. It also houses Phra Chao Thong Tip, a large image of the Buddha, cast in gold and copper. The relic is dated back to 1477. A smaller assembly hall, the beautiful Viharn Lai Kham (Gilded Hall), was built around the year of 1345, and was renovated in the early 19th century. It is considered one of the finest produces based on the Lanna monastic architecture. Inside this hall, you can find Phra Singh (the Lion Buddha), an original 14th-century treasure except for the head, (which was stolen in 1922). The walls are fully covered in murals (dated back to the 1820s), these murals illustrate Jataka tales and other stories. The round pillars and the wall behind the Buddha are decorated in red-and-gold patterns, which combine with the color of the temple, making for a truly beautiful building. Perpendicular to Viharn Lai Kham is the “ubosot”, which was built in 1806. The opulent decoration include abstract mandala designs. Inside is an ornate ku (Buddha throne).

The monastic library (1477), is based on hand carved stone, in order to protect precious manuscripts from any kind of flooding and pests. It is decorated with devata or thewada (Buddhist spirit figures). There are also several chedis on the temple grounds, the biggest one has been dated back to 1345.

Enjoy Wat Phra Singh temple tour enduring the famous Chiang Mai private city and temples tour to sight see all historical attractions of the city.