Wat Chedi Luang
103 Phra Pok Klao Road, Chiang Mai

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Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang is the biggest temple in Chiang Mai. It is also known by its official name Wat Chedi Luang Waraviharn, and by its old name Wat Jotikaram. Wat Chedi Luang is located along Phra Pok Klao Road, at the heart of the old city of Chiang Mai. The main and most prominent feature of Wat Chedi Luang is its monumental chedi, which despite having been toppled by a massive earthquake in 1545, still towers over everything else in the immediate vicinity. Wat Chedi Luang is also the site of the City Pillar of Chiang Mai.

The name Wat Chedi Luang means "Monastery of the Great Stupa". It encompasses not only the original Wat Chedi Luang, but two other monasteries Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin, which all are consolidated within one expansive compound. The monastery dates back to the 14th century, when the ruler King Saen Muang Ma (1386-1401) built a reliquary to enshrine the ashes of his father, Ku Na. First he had the area cleared. Then a bodhi tree made with silver trunk and gold leaves was planted there. Next, he added a statue of Buddha in gold and another in silver. Then the base of the reliquary was built around them. At that time, it was called ku luang, or silver shrine, rather than chedi, as it did not contain any relics of the Buddha.

The work had only reached "eaves height" when King Saen Muang Ma died, and his wife took over supervision of the project. The construction was plagued with more than its share of problems. At one point part of it collapsed. Still, construction continued on and off, until the mid 15th century, when it was finally completed, during the reign of King Tilokaraj (1442-1487), the 9th ruler of the Mangrai Dynasty, who strengthen it with laterite. The completed structure was the tallest in medieval Chiang Mai, standing 82 meters (270 ft) tall and had a base which was 54 meter wide.

In 1468, the famous Emerald Buddha, Phra Kaeo Morakot, which today is housed in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, was installed here. On the four sides of the chedi are gigantic staircases flanked by naga balustrades. Surrounding the base are Sinhalese-style elephants, similar perhaps to those at Ruwanweliseya in Anuradhapura.

In 1545, during the reign of Queen Chiraprabha (1545-1546), 15th ruler of the Mangrai Dynasty, a massive rainstorm coupled with an earthquake brought down the top 30 meters of the chedi. In 1551, King Setthathirat of Laos, who was ruling Chiang Mai at that time, he took with him the Emerald Buddha when he returned to Luang Prabang. Recently, to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the chedi, a replica of the Emerald Buddha made of very dark jade, called Phra Yok (jade buddha) was installed in the eastern niche.

As you enter the compound of Wat Chedi Luang from the main entrance to the east, you come upon a modern viharn which was built in 1928, and renovated in 1999. It contains a large standing Buddha image, called Phra Chao Attarot (eighteen-cubit Buddha), which was cast in the 14th century. On your left is the city pillar.

Getting there

Wat Chedi Luang is located in the middle of Chiang Mai, on the south side of Ratchadamnoen Road, at the junction with Phra Pok Klao Road. It is across the road from the Lanna Architecture Center. The entrance faces Phra Pok Klao Road. [an error occurred while processing this directive]