Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
North of the Old City
Sights north of the old city through Pratu Chang Pheuak (the 'white elephant gate', a refer-
ence to the elephant which carried the sacred relic to Doi Suthep) are less of a tourist draw,
which is a draw in itself for some. These sights tend to be too spread out to visit on foot; it
is advisable to hire your own transport.
Wat Jet Yot
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
(Th Superhighway; 6am-6pm)
Dedicated temple-spotters are the prime candidates for this out-
of-town temple. It was built to host the eighth World Buddhist Council in 1477, a moment-
ous occasion for the Lanna capital. In the back of the compound, the old
wí·hăhn
is still
topped by
jèt yôrt
(seven spires) that represent the seven weeks Buddha spent in Bodhgaya
after his enlightenment.
The
wí·hăhn
was supposed to be a replica of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, India,
but the proportions don't match up. Some scholars assume that the blueprint for the temple
must have come from a small votive tablet depicting the Mahabodhi in distorted perspect-
ive.
Of the original stucco relief, a few intact Bodhisattva (Buddhist saints, usually associated
with Mahayana Buddhism) depictions remain on the outer walls.
Wat Ku Tao
BUDDHIST TEMPLE
(Soi 6, Th Chang Pheuak; 6am-6pm)
North of the old city, Wat Ku Tao dates from 1613 and has
a distinctive
Tai Lü-
style
chedi,
in the shape of a pile of diminishing spheres. The
chedi
contains the ashes of Tharawadi Min, a son of king Bayinnaung from Myanmar, ruler of
Lanna from 1578 to 1607. The temple is a quiet, untouristed place with photographic merit.
Chiang Mai National Museum
( 0 5322 1308;
www.thailandmuseum.com
; off Th Superhighway; admission 100B; 9am-4pm Wed-Sun)
Oper-
ated by the Fine Arts Department, this museum is the primary caretaker of Lanna artefacts
and northern Thai history. This museum is a nice complement to the municipally run Chi-
ang Mai City Arts & Cultural Centre with more art and artefacts that extend beyond the
MUSEUM
