The Temple tour

By Andrew Bond (27 Jan 2006)

One distinctive characteristic of Thailand, which is strongly evident in Chiang Mai, is the ubiquitous Buddhist temple. These beautifully ornate Thai architectural showcases are located in every village and suburb of the country and form an important centre of each community. Chiang Mai has one of the greatest concentrations of temples in Thailand, and over its 700 year history has acquired a fine collection of historic religious buildings and structures, numbering more than 300 compounds.

Wat Bupparam on Thapae road is a classic temple that catches everyone’s attention.

Visitors to Chiang Mai are usually impressed by the many chedi ruins and spectacular temples that seem to appear at random all over the city. You find them lining major roads, and the ancient brick work of abandoned chedis seem to pop up all over the place. As sacred objects that cannot be dismantled, and so they remain as museum exhibits among the every day life of modern Chiang Mai.

The earliest records of a temple in the city dates to the fourteenth century; Wat Chiang Man appears to have been built shortly after the city was founded in 1296. The ever popular temple on Doi Suithep is one of Thailand’s most revered and dates from the same period, while the lesser visited Wat Doi Kham near the night safari pre-dates them all, having been built during the height of the Haripunchai Kingdom (where Lamphun now stands).

Each temple ground is a serene oasis in this ever bustling city and contains a fascinating cultural tour de force, not to mention plenty of opportunities for photographers. On foot you can easily do a temple tour of the city, taking in several differing styles and eras, and some unique impressions. Chiang Mai, particularly, displays some well preserved examples of ancient temples, such as Wat Phan Tao which is almost entirely made of teak. Other’s have been recently restored to their former glory, such as Wat Lok Mooli, or are noted for their distinctive chedis.

A Thai Buddhist temple consists of several parts, the centrepiece of which is the viharn, which is the most obvious structure in the complex and is noted for its multi-tiered concave roof and ornate filigree on the winged gables. These usually hold the most interest for visitors and inside you will find an ‘altar’ laden with several Buddhas of all sizes, along with other symbolic artefacts. Some of these Buddhas stand more than 20 feet high and are several centuries old, and it is here that worshippers will offer prayers. The viharn isn’t used for services, as you would expect of a church, but sees a regular stream of visitors throughout the day, quietly making their merit. Nagas (ceremonial serpents) usually line the balustrades leading into the temple, placed there to scare away bad spirits.

Also within the grounds you will usually find a chedi, and these structures have been the most durable over time. Some supposedly contain a relic of the Buddha and their purpose is largely symbolic, similar to the steeple of a cathedral. Many are specifically located to correspond with important cosmology points. The many chedis scattered about the city, whether in a temple ground or not, are the oldest remaining structures in Northern Thailand. Nearby you will often find a massive Bodhi tree (ficus religiosa), which is consecrated and ‘wrapped’ with a saffron-coloured cloth.

Another important structure is the ubosot, which is similar in appearance to the Viharn though much smaller and not elongated. This is used largely for private ceremonial occasions and usually off limits to the public or women. A working temple will also contain dormitories for the monks and novices, or small individual huts called ‘kutis’. Often there is also a general purpose sala (pavilion), which is used for public gatherings, ceremonies, merit making exercises, schooling and other community services.

Most of the temples of Chiang Mai are hundreds of years old and display a distinctive Lanna style, with significant Burmese influence. Styles have changed over the centuries and these are reflected both in the structure of the viharn, form of the Buddha statues, use of materials and shape of the chedis. The Burmese style chedis have square bases with niches, while the bell shaped style dates from the earliest founding of the city.

Chiang Mai has too many temples to mention comprehensively, but even the lesser known temples are unique and beautiful, and a good way to appreciate these remarkable cultural gems is to wander freely about the city and choose at will. Almost all of them will certainly have something to hold your attention. As a guide, here are ten comprising a selection of; the most popular, sites those which are convenient to visit or temples with some significant attraction or historical importance.

Wat Prathat Doi Suithep: Gazing down on Chiang Mai from the 1300m peak west of Chiang Mai, this highly revered temple acts like a spiritual guardian for the city and is more than 500 years old. Vacationing Thais from all over the country make an obligatory visit to this beautiful cloister with its magnificent gilded chedi and 300 step naga-lined stair case. The surrounding national park and views of the Ping river valley make the trip up the mountain (by car) worthwhile, and this temple comes with its own legend of a wandering elephant that had carried a Buddha relic up the mountain and collapsed at the spot on which it is now located.
Wat Phra Singh: One of the city’s most important temples, and a central stop on any tour guide’s itinerary, is this classic Lanna temple seated at the end of Ratchadamnoen road in the old town. The main Buddha inside is supposedly Sinhalese but resembles classic Thai styles and dates from the completion of this temple in 1400. The maroon interior is impressive and contains some excellent examples of ancient temple murals.
Wat Chiang Man: The oldest temple in the city, Wat Chiang Mai was supposedly commission by Chao Phaya Magrai who founded the city in 1296. It is located in the old town near the Northeast corner and has pretty grounds. The viharn is typically early Lanna, boasts some impressive teak columns and contains two ancient Buddhas; a diminutive marble Buddha that supposedly dates back more than 2000 years and the Phra Satang Man Buddha – a crystal Buddha a mere 10cms high which is thought to have come from the Lop Buri era, more than 1800 years ago.
Wat Chedi Luang & Wat Pan Tao: These two temples are found on the same block in the geographical centre of the old town. Wat Chedi Luang is by far the more famous and perhaps the most important in the city’s history. It is noted for its 42m high ruined chedi which once stood 90m but was brought down by an earthquake in the 16th century and suffered further damage during the vanquishing in 1775 of the Burmese occupying forces. Recent efforts have partially restored this massive structure which remains the tallest in the old town. It also once housed the legendary Emerald Buddha, a national treasure that once resided in Chiang Mai, before its wanderings and final resting place in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Wat Pan Tao is nearby and notable for being constructed entirely from teak (right down to the nails), certainly one of the most overlooked temples in the city.
Wat Suan Dok & Wat U Mong: Both these temples are found a little out of the city, west of the old town, and require a tuk tuk ride to get to. Wat Suan Dok is the closer and the site of a Buddhist university, but it is the magnificent collection of chedis in the grounds that reward the photographer (with Doi Suithep in the background). This complex was founded in 1385, making it one of the Chiang Mai’s oldest. Further down Suithep road, in the suburbs near Chiang Mai University, is an oasis of calm in the forest temple of Wat U Mong. Although it displays none of the usual obvious features of a temple ground, it has served as a retreat almost as long as Wat Suan Dok and has an unusual tunnel complex in a forest, with an ancient chedi, lake and the eerie afternoon sound of chanting monks.
Wat Jed Yod: Built in time for the eight World Buddhist council in 1477, Wat Jed Yod is located beside the commendable National Museum of Chiang Mai and is noted for its seven ruined chedis, symbolic of the seven years the Buddha spent in Bodhgaya after attaining enlightenment. It has pleasant grounds and the viharn has some colourful, well-restored, murals.
Wat Doi Kham: Noted for its photogenic giant Buddha and certainly off the tourist route, this remotely located temple on a hill southwest of the city is scheduled to make a comeback with the opening nearby of the much vaunted Night Safari. In fact this temple pre-dates all the other temples in Chiang Mai, dating from its founding as a hermit’s outpost of the Haripunchai Kingdom (centred in the present town of Lamphun). There is an interesting story of the hermit and Queen Chamdevi, and a small unremarkable cloister with good views of this farming district. But it is the massive 20 foot high Rattanakosin-styled Buddha (built only recently) that makes the trip worthwhile.
Wat Look Moli: Magnificently restored in 2003, Wat Look Moli is distinctly different in appearance from the typical Lanna or Thai styled temple. It boasts lovely polished teak interiors and sides, with a dark brown finish and ornate gate, but it is the imposing chedi behind it – one of the best ancient examples left in the city, that forms the centrepiece of this temple near the Northwest corner of the moat.
Wat Chetawan, Mahawan and Bupparam: Although not the oldest or most important of Chiang Mai’s temples, these three receive plenty of visitors due to their prime position on Thapae road. All three are great examples of the grace of Buddhist temples in Thailand and were most probably financed by Burmese teak lords. Wat Bupparam is the most impressionable and sits on the South flank of the road along with Wat Mahawan, while Wat Chetawan is set back from the North side and is known for its murals. If you couldn’t be bothered to get to all the others, these three will give you a good introductory impression of Chiang Mai and Thai temples.
Regardless of where you are in the city, there will always be a temple nearby. There are plenty of unique gems which we haven’t mentioned above, some have unusual chedis or ancient bells and Buddhist artefacts, others are simply pleasing to the eye (or lens), or simply offer a peaceful respite from the town. Wandering the old town on foot or by bicycle is perhaps the best way to appreciate these national treasures.

The lofty chedis of Wat Suan Dok - which dates back more than 500 years.