WAT PHRATHAT DOI SUTHEP(The most famous temple in Chiang Mai)
*****No trip to Chiang Mai would be complete without visiting Wat Phra Thart Doi Suthep; the spectacular Buddhist temple that can be seen, from wherever you happen to be in the city, clinging to the mountainside near the summit of Doi Suthep.
Doi Suthep hill has been seen as a holy place for more than twelve hundred years. The original inhabitants, the Lua, believed that the souls of their ancestors resided on the hilltop. When Buddhism was embraced by the Siamese people, the hill became the epicentre of the universe, and the centre of Buddhism in Lanna.
*The temple was built in the late 14th century under King Geu Na, and attracts many pilgrims and tourists, both local and international, throughout the year.
Overlooking Chiang Mai from its lofty perch, some 3,500 feet (1,053 meters) above sea level, the temple is best visited on days free of cloud or heat haze; the view of the city, and the Ping valley beyond, is breathtaking.
WAT CHIANG MAN (The oldest temple in Chiang Mai)*Located within the walls of the old city, near the Chang Puak gate, Chiang Man is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai. It was supposedly built by the founder of the city 700 years ago, King Mengrai, on the spot where he stayed while planning his new capital. It's a small temple, and not on the main tourist trail, but it was important for quite some time.
WAT PHRA SINGH (The biggest temple in Chiang Mai)*Wat Phra Singh is located in the western part of the old city centre of Chiang Mai, which is contained within the city walls and moat. The main entrance, which is guarded by Singhs (lions), is situated at the end of the main street Rachadamnoen road of Chiang Mai(Sunday Market). The road runs east from the temple, via Tapae Gate, to the Ping River.
The temple houses an important Buddha statue: the Phra Buddha Sihing which gives the temple its name. The origins of this statue are unknown but, according to legend, it was based on the lion of Shakya, a statue since lost which used to be housed in the Mahabodhi Temple of Bodh Gaya (India). The Phra Buddha Sihing statue is supposed to have been brought, via Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka), to Ligor (present day Nakhon Si Thammarat and from there, via Ayutthaya, to Chiang Mai. There are two more Buddha statues in Thailand which are claimed to be the Phra Buddha Sihing: one is housed in Wat Phra Mahathat in the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat and another in the Bangkok National Museum.
*It is alleged that the head of the statue had been stolen in 1922. The possibility remains that the present statue (or maybe only the head) is a copy.
*Every year, during the Songkran festival, the statue is taken from Wihan Lai Kham and carried through the streets of Chiang Mai in a religious procession during which the spectators honour the statue by sprinkling water over it.
WAT CHEDI LUANG (The biggest pagoda in Lanna Kingdom)*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 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.
*Also this temple has the University for the moungs and High school inside, after you visit temple you can go for a mounk chat. You can ask the mounk about anything that you need to know.( Ladies are not allow to touch the mounk)
Chiang Mai's temples are perhaps the most interesting of its many attractions. Unlike Bangkok, where few temples are more than 200 years old, some temples in Chiang Mai are as old as the city, which celebrated it's 700th anniversary in 1996.
The one temple every first-time visitor absolutely, positively must see is the mountain-top Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. The temple is a "must see" not only for its importance as a pilgrimage temple, but also for the outstanding views it affords of the city and its surrounding plain, when the weather cooperates. A trip to the temple is usually combined with a stop at the royal Phu Phing Palace and the Doi Pui Maeo hill tribe village which located on doi Su thep as well.
There are, however, many other temples in Chiang Mai worth a visit. Some of these are a bit off the tourist trail, including wat Umong.
WAT UMONG ( oomong )
(Chiang Mai's most unusual temple who's main feature is a maze-like system of tunnels.)
Wat Umong is unique in many respects. For one, it's built in the foothills of Suthep mountain and is still heavily forested. But the most unique feature of the temple are the tunnels which give the wat its name (umong is the Thai word for "tunnel").
WAT SUAN DOK
Just outside of the town walls on Suthep road, Wat Suan Dok is interesting for its large open-air sala and its many reliquaries containing the ashes of Chiang Mai's royal family.This temple was buided even before Wat phrathat Doi Suthep on the mountain.
WAT CHED YOT
Slightly out of town on the northern loop of the ring road, this late 15th century temple was built to host the Eighth World Buddhist council. Wat Jed Yod is unlike just about any other Thai temple. Its also next to the National Museum, so you can easily spend an afternoon viewing the temple and the museum.
WAT CHIANG YUEN
Although possibly very old, this temple just outside the northern moat was well maintained by the Burmese and Shan communities.
WAT GATE
Its not in any of the major guidebooks, but we think this temple on the east bank of the Ping River is definitely worth a visit. Don't miss the temple's museum, with hundreds of photographs showing life in Chiang Mai as much as a 100 years ago.
WAT LOK MOLI
An ancient temple just outside the northern moat, this temple was abandoned until recently.
WAT PAN TAO
Next to Wat Chedi Luang is a small interesting temple called Wat Pan Tao, which means "to increase 1,000 times." The temple was built around the same time as Wat Chedi Luang, in the late fourteenth century. It was one of four monastic temples serving the royal temple.
WAT PA PAO
Its completely overlooked by all the guidebooks, but Wat Pa Pao is a quite unique temple in Chiang Mai.
WAT SAEN FANG
A Burmese styled temple with a colorful chedi, located just off Tapae Road between the river and moat.
WAT SRI SUPHAN
Near the center of the silver village just outside the Chiang Mai gate is - what else - the silver temple.
