Wat Phra Singh
 The ubosot of Wat Phra Singh |
 The alter with its replica of the Phra Singh image. |
Just outside of the town's market area is Wat Phra Singh. The temple was built in the 14th century, about 100 years after the city's founding. Its wiharn once held the Phra Singh Buddha image which now resides in a temple of the same name in Chiang Mai. The image inside the wiharn here is a copy. Near the eastern entrance to the temple is a rather large sign which attempts to explain the history of the Phra Singh image, but it soon descends into gibberish and isn't very useful.
The beautiful wiharn is extensively decorated inside and out. Some of the decoration, such as the doors, are actually quite modern.
 The unusual blooms of the cannonball tree. |
Behind the wiharn is a rather plain chedi. Near this is one particularly spectacular specimen of the cannonball tree, which is commonly found in several temples around Chiang Rai. The tree gets its name from the grape-like buds which sprout from the tree's trunk. These round hard buds burst into odd spiky flowers one-by-one.
The carved 'tung' flags in front of the wiharn, as well as the gates, feature a sequence of animals from the Thai/Chinese astrological signs.
Photo Gallery
To see more pictures of Wat Phra Singh, see our online photo gallery.