Wat Suan Dok

"Wat Suan Dok, also known as Wat Buppharam, is a significant Buddhist temple located in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, on Suthep Road, about one kilometre west of the Suan Dok gate. It is a Royal Temple of the Third Class and is home to the Chiang Mai campus of the Buddhist Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University. The temple was founded in 1370 CE by King Kue Na of Lanna for the monk Sumana Thera. It was built within the walled settlement of Wiang Suan Dok, which predates Chiang Mai. The temple's original name, Wat Buppharam, was inspired by King Kue Na's flower garden, and it was later shortened to Wat Suan Dok. Legend says that after the monk Sumana Thera discovered a Buddha relic, it miraculously duplicated itself. One relic was housed in Wat Suan Dok, while the other was carried by a white elephant to Doi Suthep, where Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep was constructed to house it. Among the temple’s notable features is the large 48-meter-high bell-shaped chedi, built in a Sri Lankan style, which houses the Buddha relic. The chedi is surrounded by ornate stairs and balusters adorned with seven-headed nāgas and makaras, typical of Lanna design. The sala kan prian, or sermon hall, built in 1932, is located east of the chedi. Inside, Buddha statues are arranged to face different directions, and a small Lanna-style Buddha statue from the 14th century is prominently displayed. The temple’s ubosot, recently renovated, houses a 4.7-meter-high bronze Buddha statue, Phra Chao Kao Tue, cast in 1504 CE during the reign of King Mueang Kaeo. Additionally, a series of white mausoleums in the northwestern corner of the temple grounds house the cremation ashes of Chiang Mai’s royal family, including those of Princess Dara Rasmi, a wife of King Chulalongkorn."

"This was the first temple we visited. It was STUNNING. You pay a small entrance fee that goes towards the temple. The inside is gorgeous and we tried to take in all the majestic colored glass. The outside has these beautiful white structures that are smaller monuments with important monks and relics of Buddha. I would definitely recommend grabbing an ice cream to cool off while you walk around outside at once of the small shops outside temple."