Wat Chedi Luang Varavihara

Wat Chedi Luang Varavihara, meaning the temple of the large stupa in northern dialect, is a Buddhist temple in the heart of old walled Chiang Mai, not too far from Wat Phra Singh. As the name suggests, the temple is home to Chiang Mai’s largest Buddhist chedi featuring 98 meters tall and 54 meters in diameter, in ancient time it was the largest building of all Lanna Kingdom. The current temple ground was originally made up of three temples, namely Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin. The construction of chedi started in the 14th century, when King Saen Muang Ma planned to bury the ashes of his father there, but, due to different suspensions of works for stability problems, it was completed only in 1461 by King Tilokaraj. In 1468, the revered Phra Kaew Morakot, more known as Emerald Buddha, was installed in the eastern niche. In 1545, the upper 30 m of the structure collapsed after an earthquake, and in 1551 the Emerald Buddha was moved to Luang Prabang. In the early 1990s the chedi was completely renovated by Princess Sirindhorn, with works financed by UNESCO and the Japanese government. However the result is somewhat controversial, as since there is no document certifying the exact shape and size of the original, some historians argue that the new chedi is built in the 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. The ordination hall located in the front of chedi is also an example of beautiful Lanna architecture with its serpents is probably one of the most remembered elements.
Admission fee & Opening hours: The temple is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. Admission for Thai nationals and foreigners is free.
Getting there: Wat Chedi Luang is located on Phra Pokklao Road in the center of old walled city, and easily accessible on foot or by songthaew from those who are already in the center of Chiang Mai.Read More