Story Title: Wat Chedi Luang
Episode: 5
Broadcast Date: Saturday 21 December 2013
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Despite its ruined state, this 14th century temple, where the City Pillar Shrine is located, is famous for its enormous chedi, which is measured at 282 feet high and 144 feet wide (at the base). The chedi still has several Buddha shrines and remains an active place of worship frequented by saffron-robed monks.

Temple Ruins

• Wat Chedi Luang is a Buddhist temple in the historic centre of Chiang Mai, Thailand.
• 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
• It is one of Chiang Mai’s most important temples located in the ancient walled part of the city.
• The current temple grounds were originally made up of three temples - Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin.
• The temple used to be 90 meters high before it was partly destroyed in an earthquake in 1545. The present restored chedi is about 60 meters high.
• The temple’s most prominent feature is the massive and very impressive chedi (pagoda) dominating the area. The chedi to this day enshrine’s the ashes of King Saen Muang Ma’s father.
• The ruined brick Chedi has magnificent methodological serpents guarding its door on both sides. It is believed that they are the most beautiful man-made serpents in the whole of northern Thailand.
• One of the best times to see this chedi is during the wian tian ceremony in the evening on one of the main Buddhist festival days.
• For more information on visiting Thailand click here