King
Mengrai is the one who founded Chiang Mai, in 1296;
at that time this Thailand city was the capital of
Lanna Thai, the first independent state.
Today,
Chiang Mai has about 167.000 people and you can
still see the Burmese influence on culture, cuisine,
religion, language and architecture.
This
city perfectly reflects the modern aspirations and
the rich cultural heritage of Thailand.
Here you
can see modern and busy markets selling wares, teak
houses on narrow streets, all in the modern
skyscrapers’ shadow.
Old City
represents the heart of Chiang Mai, an area with
moats and wall vestiges that were used as defence as
surroundings.
Still,
Chiang Mai is one very modern city with many
condominiums and shopping malls, the contrast
between old and new being the city’s charm.
It is the place where the Thais prefer to come during the
March-May period due to the temperate climate they can find
here comparing to the rest of Thailand where the climate is
hot.
The
tourists also prefer Chiang Mai for its central
location which makes this city the ideal base for
Thailand’s exploration.
There are over 700 temples
in Chiang Mai as well as unique sites. Wat Chedi
Luang is a complex dating from 1411 and in 1545 it
was ruined by a strong earthquake.
The complex used
to house the emerald Buddha which is now placed at Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok. In the 1400’s middle, the
massive edifice had 280 feet (84 metres) height.
At the
complex’s exterior you can see a Buddha statue. Wat
Phan Tao is another temple that can be seen in
Chiang Mai, with Spirit House (wihaan) of wood and
its central shrine (the bot) as well as nice
carvings on the door and on the eaves. One of the
most venerated temples in Chiang Mai is Wat Phra
Singh, a site where numerous religious ceremonies,
especially on the Songkran Festival’s period.
It is the place where about 700 monks study,
the tourists finding them curios and friendly. The mounds (chedi)
were built in 1345 by King Phayu, to keep his father’s (King
Kamfu) cremated remains.
The
library dating from the 14 the century has graceful
carvings and roofline with separate elevations. It
is supposed that the sculptural figures of devata
(Buddhist spirits) in meditative and dancing poses
date from the reign of King Muang Kaeo (the 16 the
century). The Wat Suan Dok is a complex special for
the pleasant surroundings and the contemplative
spirit and less for architecture. King Ku Na built
the temple in the 14 the
century
and now the temple is the home of few monks who
isolated here from all the outside world’s
distractions. This Chiang Mai temple has many
attractions such as the massive Chiang Saen Buddha
made of bronze and dating from 1504, the garish
murals,
the royal
cemetery where some wonderful shrines can be seen and the
chedi, which was built to sustain a Buddha’s relic. There
are many other attractions waiting for you in Chiang Mai.
