Wat
Chedi Luang
The
Wat Chedi Luang is located on the corner of Phrapokklao and
Ratchamankha Roads and dates from 1411. Its name means 'monastery
of the great stupa' which is fitting, as it is the site of
a very large Lanna style chedi.
Unfortunately,
the centrepiece chedi, which stands over 80 m high, is in
partial ruins. The damage was either caused following a severe
earthquake that occurred in 1545, or by canon fire from King
Taksin, during the recapture of Chiang Mai from the Burmese
in 1775.
In
1475 Wat Chedi Luang housed the revered Emerald Buddha image.
The image is now enshrined in Bangkok's Wat Phra Kaeo. One
of Wat Chedi Luang's most striking architectural features
is a magnificent Naga staircase that adorns the chapel's front
porch.
In
1995, UNESCO and the Japanese government financed the restoration
of the main chedi and other parts of the wat complex.
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