Wat Pa Pao
Wat Pa Pao
Built in 1883, Wat Pa Pao is not like most of the Lanna style temples in Chiang Mai. Located just outside of the old city walls, this is a Shan Burmese style temple. During the 19th century many Shan Burmese migrated to Chiang Mai to work in the teak logging industry. They built Wat Pa Pao as their own place of warship.
A wall surrounds the courtyard which contains a large chedi, a viharn and an assembly hall. Next to the courtyard is a more recent Shan style viharn and another smaller building.
By the way, the name Wat Pa Pao translates to grove of Pao trees temple.
A current brick building, adorned with stuccoed ornaments has replaced the original 19th century wooden viharn. It is topped with an elegant 5 tiered Pyatthat roof decorated with colorful motifs and topped with a golden ceremonial umbrella. There are 3 large Buddha images inside, however it is usually closed to the public.
Next to the viharn you’ll see a large bell shaped chedi which is adorned with small mythical creatures. At each of it corners is a large Qilin, resembling a lion with a dragons head, it is a mythical creature associated with good luck. The chedi is set on several square tiers and a single octagonal tier. The bell is topped with a golden spire and multi tiered Pathein Htee or Burmese style umbrella. Bodies of Qilin and stairways on each side lead to niches which enshrine Buddha images.
Within walking distance, the Wat is located just north of the Northeast corner of the old walled city.
Wat Pan Ping
Wat Pan Ping
With practically no information available, Wat Pan Ping (Wat Ban Ping) has a large beautiful golden chedi along with several other buildings, some showing artworks depicting stories from the life of Buddha.
Wat Phan On
Wat Phan On
Built in 1501 during th
e reign of the Lanna King, Wat Phan On is one of the smaller temples in Chiang Mai’s old walled city.
There are 3 main structures; the large viharn, a golden chedi (one of the most beautiful in Chiang Mai), and the Kuti or monks living quarters.
The viharn is a large 2 story building with a 3 tiered roof with chofahs at the roof ends. The doors and windows are decorated with fine wood carvings showing mythical creatures. Large Theavada figures decorate the side walls with Naga serpents at the arches of the windows. In the viharn is a large Buddha sitting in the subduing Mara posture. It is a copy of a more famous Buddha image in Phitsanulok. There is another smaller Buddha image directly in front of the larger one.
Supporting the structure are Large square columns decorated with intricate motifs. The walls show several murals including one of the Buddha’s first sermons.
The chedi, named by King Rama IX, was recently built in 2007. It contains red niches on all 4 sides which have enshrined Buddha images. You can also find a very large gong next to the chedi.
The courtyard of the temple has a large Bodhi tree with several Buddha images sheltered by umbrellas.
The many bells around the grounds can be rung by Buddhists or visiting tourists.
The temple can be found on Ratchadamnoe Road which is where the Sunday evening walking street market is held.
Wat Phan Tao
Wat Phan Tao
This is one of the old Wat’s in Chiang Mai believed to have been founded at the end of the 14th century in the center of the old walled city.
The name Wat Phan Tao literally means “temple of a thousand kilns”. This came from the many ovens (kilns) that were used there to create/cast Buddha images used both here and at its immediate neighbor Wat Chedi Luang.
The original viharn (built in 1846) was originally used as a throne hall for the Kings of Chiang Mai. In 1876 this hall was removed and a new viharn was built using many of the wood panels from the old structure. The viharn was set on a stone base and is considered one of the oldest all wooden structures in Chiang Mai. The viharn has a 3 tiered roof with golden Chofah and Naga serpents at the roof ends. Of particular beauty is the viharns front facade. Over the pelmet is a gilded carving of s peacock and crouching dog. Naga serpents and other mythical creatures are also depicted.
The viharns interior has large red teak pillars and long woven banners hanging from the ceiling. Opposite the entrance is the Wats principal Buddha image, a golden seated Buddha.
Other structures at the Wat include a large white chedi, a small bell tower, a Kuti or monks living quarters and a small garden with many bells.
Outside the Wat’s wall are several Singha (Burmese style lion) guarding the temple grounds.
Getting to the Wat is easy. At the center of the old walled city, Wat Phan Tao is right next to the well known Wat Chedi Luang.
Wat Phra Singh
Wat Phra Singh
Of the many beautiful and old temples, Wat Phra Singh may well be the most attractive in Chiang Mai.
The temple, also known as The Monastery of the Lion Buddha or The Temple of the Lion Buddha, is a very active temple with hundreds of monks and novices living there.
Wat Phra Singh dates back to the 14th century when Chiang Mai was the capital of the Lanna Kingdom and is a great example of Lanna style architecture with many highly revered and old Buddha image.
There are many Lanna style buildings at the Wat, the oldest being the main chedi which was built by King Pha Yu in 1345 to enshrine the ashes of his father. Since it’s construction in the 14th century, it has been considerably enlarged. The chedi is circular in shape with a square base. Each side of the chedi is decorated with elephant figures emerging from the chedi.
One of the best examples of Lanna style architecture is the viharn Lai Kham. This viharn was built during the 14th century to house the highly revered Phra Singh Buddha image. This Wat was originally named Wat Li Chiang Phra until the Phra Singh Buddha imaged was brought here in 1367. The exterior of viharn Lai Khon is decorated in typical Lanna gold and ochre colors. The viharn itself is made from teak wood and a 3 tiered roof, the lower edges are decorated with chofahs and an ornamental decoration resembling the shape of a thin bird.
The viharns interior’s beauty equals that of its exterior. At the back you’ll find the Phra Singh Buddha image with the wall covered with Kai Kham, a red lacquer patterned with gold leaf. The other 3 walls have murals painted in the 1920’s showing popular local stories, scenes from the 19tth century and tales about previous lives of the Buddha.
Vihanr Luang is the largest building in the Wat. While the original viharn was built during the 14th century, it was replaced by the current building in 1925. This viharn houses the highly revered Phra Chao Thong Tip Buddha image. Cast of gold and copper in 1477, this Buddha image is seated in the subduing Mara Mudras posture.
Wat Phra Singhs wooden ubosot was built in 1806. The gables of the bot are highly decorated with wood carvings. Here we find a very elaborate Ku which is a mondop like throne with a Buddha image. At the other end of the bot there is a copy of the Emerald Buddha image – the original is now located in Bangkok.
The Ho Trai is another excellent example of Lanna style architecture and is where the temple library and ancient Buddhist scriptures are kept.
The Ho Trai was built during the 15th century and is an elaborate wooden structure built on a stone base to protect its contents from flooding and insects. The base is decorated with Devata figures (sort of guardian angels) and the wooden top is covered with glass mosaics and gilded lacquer works. Large mythical creatures guard the entrance steps. The Wat area has several other chedis, the Kuti (monks living quarters) and a building containing a reclining Buddha image
Wat Phra Singh is located in the old walled city at the end of Ratchadamnoen Road. There is a modest entrance fee at this Wat.
Wat Sri Suphan
Wat Sri Suphan
Wat Sri Puphan is commonly known as “The Silver Temple” because of it’s beautiful hand crafted silver detail.
The Wat was originally built in the early 1500’s and served as the main temple for a local silversmithing village in Chiang Mai.
Over the years, as parts of the temple showed ware, repairs were made with local silver. It wasn’t until 2008 that the process of completely covering the temple in silver began. Except for the sema stones, today very little remains of the original temple. While some work still continues, the ubosot (ordination hall) is basically completed.
The wiharn (prayer hall) is much larger and is also completed. The inside walls are covered with silver panels mostly showing scenes from the Buddha’s lives. You will also find a large elegant Buddha image on the alter.
Some notes:
- Due to old Buddhist rules. women are not allowed in the ubosot.
- The Wat also includes a silversmithing school where you may have a chance to see some of the students creating silver pieces.
- Around Chiang Mai, there are a few temples that offer what is called “monk chats” where you can have a chance to interact with English speaking monk(s). My opinion: the Silver Temple offers the best opportunity to participate in one of these monk chats. On my last visit, the monk chat was being offered Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday starting at 5:30 PM and lasting 1½ hours followed by a 2 hour introduction to meditation. Technically, the monk chat is free, however there is what seems to be a mandatory temple donation, but its not that much!
The Silver Temple is located at 100 Wua Lai Road next to the Wua Lai Saturday night walking street market.
Wat Suan Dok
Wat Suan Dok
The name Wat Suan Dok literally me
ans flower garden temple. It got this name because the area the Wat now occupies was originally a Royal flower garden for the ruler of Chiang Mai.
There was a monk from the Sukhothai area that discovered a relic that was believed to be the shoulder bone of The Buddha. The ruler of the Lanna Kingdom, King Kuene, invited the monk to Chiang Mai and during the second half of the 14th century had the Wat constructed as a place to enshrine the relic. Upon arriving in Chiang Mai, the relic magically split into 2 pieces, one piece the original size and the other piece was smaller. The smaller piece is the one now enshrined at this Wat. The King ordered that the larger piece was to be put on the back of a white elephant and be set free to roam where it wanted. The elephant eventually climbed Doi Suthep mountain where it trumpeted 3 times and then died. In the year 1383, Wat Doi Suthep was constructed.
Wat Suan Dok is located in the west part of the old walled town and is easily known for its large number of chedis. The tallest, golden chedi standing 48 meters is where the Buddha relic is contained. Many of the smaller white chedis contain the ashes from several generations of the Chiang Mai Royal Family.
The Wats viharn and ubosot are unusually large and were rebuilt in the 1930’s by a famous monk who is responsible for renovating several Chiang Mai temples.
The viharn contains several Buddha images including a large standing Buddha holding a bundle of straw and also a sitting Buddha.
The ubosot contains a bronze seated Buddha statue measuring almost 5 meters high that was cast in 1504. The walls are decorated with painted murals with scenes from stories of the Buddha’s previous lives.
Within the temple grounds is a Chiang Mai university. From the university, large heavily decorated gates grant access to the temple grounds. The university also hosts both a monk chat and meditation retreat.
To get to Wat Suan Dok, from the west end of the old walled city center, just go west about 1 km on Suthep Road.
Wat Sum Pow
Wat Sum Pow
Also written as Wat Sam Pao, the Wat grounds are located on Ratchadamnoen Road which is the main road through old Chiang Mai town and is just opposite from Wat Phan On.
There are a pair of Chinthe (Burmese style lion) guarding the Wats entrance. The beautiful gold chedi has niches with Buddha images seated under a Bodhi tree. Also within the grounds is a large Naga serpent guarded viharn and next to the viharn is an area offering Thai and foot massage.
Wat Thaton
Wat Thaton
Although not actually in Chiang Mai, it is in Chiang Mai Province and anyone visiting will probably start from Chiang Mai city.
Also called The Temple of the Magnificent Crystal Pagoda, Wat Thaton is a large temple complex in a very attractive setting just a few kilometers fro the Myanmar boarder. It is built on a hill overlooking Ban Thaton Village and the Maekok River and covers several levels of a forested hill.
At the first level is a statue of Guanyin, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. Also at the first level is the office and a Buddhist school. One of the oldest structures is the chedi which is used to enshrine relics of The Buddha, Kings, and very important monks.
At level 2 is the ubosot and at level 3 there is a large white Buddha image sitting in the subduing Mara posture.
The Phra Nakprok building with the Vipassana Meditation Center are at level 4. The roof has a huge seated Buddha image with a 7 headed Naga serpent. The next level is the meditation hall and accommodations for the students.
The obvious and most striking structure is the newly built Chedi Kaew or Crystal Buddha which can be seen from miles away. This colorful structure has a large greenish spire on top and both sides of the entrance are decorated with golden colored Theawada figures on a red background.
Over the richly decorated entrance is a depiction of the Buddha in front of a Dhamma wheel. A very tall golden Buddha image standing over 10 meters and holding an alms bowl is overlooking the area.
Getting to Wat Thaton is a journey. It is about 175 km north of Chiang Mai near the village of Ban Thaton and about 50 km northwest of Chiang Rai.
Wat Tung Yu
Wat Tung Yu
This Wat has several structures on the grounds including a large viharn housing several Buddha images, a white chedi, a seated Buddha image, and other buildings.
The key building is a smaller viharn. At the entrance to this Naga serpent guarded viharn you’ll see 2 monk statues. The golden monk statue on the left is Kruba Srivichai who lived from 1878 to 1938 and was one of the most revered monks of the Lanna Kingdom. Between the 2 monk statues is a Buddha footprint covered with a Pathein Htee or Burmese style umbrella. He was responsible for the construction of many of the Wat’s around Chiang Mai. There is also a monument to him at thee base of Doi Suthep Mountain as he was responsible for the construction of the road that leads up to Wat Doi Suthep. With his influence and popularity the many volunteers completed that road in just 5 months.
Today Krubi Srivichai in considered to be the Nak Bun Haeng or the Saint of Lanna.