Chiang Mai In Thailand

Wat Chedi Luang (Temple of the Big Stupa) is an impressive ruined temple in the center of Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, dating from the 14th and 15th centuries.Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558. Its Old City area still retains vestiges of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. It’s also home to hundreds of elaborate Buddhist temples, including 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, adorned with carved serpents.

Thailand's northern capital is an escape from the whirlwind pace of life of its southern rival. Despite the constant arrival of planes and trains full of sightseers, the former seat of the Lanna kingdom is still blissfully calm and laid-back. This is a place to relax after the chaos of Bangkok and recharge your batteries with fabulous food and leisurely wandering. If you don't want to participate in the vast array of activities on offer, just stroll around the backstreets, and discover a city that is still firmly Thai in its aspect, atmosphere, and attitude.chiang Mai is situated in Northern Thailand, 700km north of the capital city of Bangkok. Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand, yet only has a population of around 200,000. Compare this to Bangkok which has about 9 million and it is easy to see why even the Thai people in Bangkok love to visit Chiang Mai for a holiday. The city is now becoming increasingly popular with overseas travellers as word spreads of this magnificent tourist location. There are various ways to travel to and visit Chiang Mai. From Bangkok it is a 1hr flight. See our Getting There page for more information.

In the last 25 or so years tourism has gradually transformed this once sleepy area into a travellers paradise whilst still maintaining its provincial charm. The ever-friendly and polite Thai people are full of smiles (Thailand = LOS = Land of Smiles). There are a million things to see and do, the food tastes sensational, it is a shoppers paradise and a visit to Chiang Mai can even be done on a shoestring.Chiang Mai was built in 1296 as a walled city surrounded by a moat. The old city was roughly 1.5km square. Whilst a good portion of the original city wall has collapsed the four corner bastions are still intact along with various other sections. The original moat is still in use to this day. Chiang Mai city is basically made up now of the old city (within the walled area) and the new city which has grown up around it. Grab a Tuk-Tuk and go for a scenic visit to Chiang Mai's lovely moat and the ancient walls of the old city.

If you like ancient temples (Wats) and buildings, then visit Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas, they are full of them, several hundred in fact. A good number of these ancient temples are still in use today by the Buddhist monks.Whether you find yourself passing through or staying for a longer visit, it will never seem long enough and you will soon find yourself planning to visit Chiang Mai, Thailand again.
Nestled amongst forested foothills, Chiang Mai is much older than it first appears. During the city's medieval heyday, almost everything was made of teak hauled by elephant from the surrounding rainforest, with the notable exception of its towering wát. The monasteries still remain, centred on ancient brick chedi (stupas) in a remarkable range of shapes and styles, but the gaps between them have been filled in with modern Thai houses and traveller hotels. Despite this, the historic centre of Chiang Mai still feels overwhelmingly residential, more like a sleepy country town than a bustling capital.A sprawling modern city has grown up around ancient Chiang Mai, ringed by a tangle of superhighways, but if you drive in a straight line in any direction, you'll soon find yourself in the lush green countryside of northern Thailand. A short ride by motorcycle or chartered rót daang ('red truck') will deliver you to pristine rainforest reserves, churning waterfalls, serene forest wát, bubbling hot springs and peaceful country villages – as well as a host of adventure camps, elephant sanctuaries and souvenir markets.

History of Wat Chedi Luang:-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 expanded by later kings, reaching its final form in 1475.It was then given the great honor of housing the Emerald Buddha, the holiest religious object in Thailand (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 severe earthquake (1545) toppled part of the great spire. The Emerald Buddha was kept in the chedi for another six years, then moved to Luang Prabang (in present-day Laos) by the king.Five years later, Chiang Mai fell to the Burmese. 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 complex in subsequent years; the largest viharn was built in 1928.

What to See at Wat Chedi Luang:-The ruined brick chedi of Wat Chedi Luang now rises to about 60m in height. Its base is 44m (144 ft.) wide. It has four sides, each with a niche approached by a monumental stairway guarded by stone nagas (mythical snakes). Elephants stand guard midway up the platform.Despite its ruined state, the chedi still has several Buddha shrines and remains an active place of worship frequented by saffron-robed monks.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, contains a standing Buddha known as the Phra Chao Attarot. Made 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 revered as protectors of the city. Legend has it that if this tree falls, a great catastrophe will follow.Also protecting Chiang Mai is the city pillar or "Spirit of the City" (Lak Mueang), which is enshrined 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.Sharing the grounds of Wat Chedi Luang is another temple, Wat Phan Tao. Its wooden viharn has beautiful carvings around the door and rooflines and contains a large reclining Buddha.

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