Wat Chedi Luang Chiang Mai

Thailand Tour 2013

Chiang Mai | Thailand

19 Nov 2013 | Tue

Day 34 of 43

Wat Chedi Luang Chiang Mai
Wat Pha Lat Chiang Mai
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Chiang Mai
Mae Sa Elephant Camp Chiang Mai
Tusnaporn Wood Carving Chiang Mai
Kham Thiang Garden Market Chiang Mai
Aroon Rai Restaurant Chiang Mai

Wat Chedi Luang Chiang Mai

Wat Chedi Luang Chiang Mai is one of Thailand’s most important ancient ruins. Built in the 14th century, this temple has been a sacred part of Thai culture for centuries and is known to be an architectural masterpiece. Located in the heart of downtown Chiang Mai, Wat Chedi Luang is a must-see destination when visiting the city.

This grand temple complex houses many structures including the extremely impressive Chedi Luang Pagoda, which stands at an impressive 84 meters tall and was once home to Thailand’s Emerald Buddha. Visitors can explore nearby temples such as Viharn Lai Kham and wander around the surrounding gardens and villas that make up this ancient historical site.

The main attraction of Wat Chedi Luang is its unique architecture that combines intricate details from both Hindu and Buddhist cultures.

Wat Chedi Luang (Thai: วัดเจดีย์หลวง, lit. temple of the big stupa or temple of the royal stupa) is a Buddhist temple in the historic centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The current temple grounds were originally made up of three temples — Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin.

The construction of the temple started in the 14th century, when King Saen Muang Ma planned to bury the ashes of his father there. After 10 years of building time it was left unfinished, later to be continued after the death of the king by his widow. Probably due to stability problems it took until the mid-15th century to be finished during the reign of king Tilokaraj. It was then 82 m high and had a base diameter of 54 m, at that time the largest building of all Lanna. In 1468, the Emerald Buddha was installed in the eastern niche. In 1545, the upper 30 m of the structure collapsed after an earthquake, and shortly thereafter, in 1551, the Emerald Buddha was moved to Luang Prabang.

In the early 1990s the chedi was reconstructed, financed by UNESCO and the Japanese government. However the result is somewhat controversial, as some claim the new elements are in Central Thai style, not Lanna style. For the 600th anniversary of the chedi in 1995, a copy of the Emerald Buddha made from black jade was placed in the reconstructed eastern niche. The icon is named official Phra Phut Chaloem Sirirat, but is commonly known as Phra Yok.

– Wikipedia Wat Chedi Luang