Lampang Province
Lampang is located about 100 km southeast of Chiang Mai. It was established in the 7th century, during the Dvaravati period, and later played an important role in the Hariphunchai kingdom. The local belief is that the town was founded by the son of Queen Chama Devi, the ruler of the Hariphunchai kingdom. In common with the older cities in the north, Lampang was built within a walled rectangle by the side of a river, in this case the River Wang.At the beginning of this century, Lampang flourished in the highly profitable teak trade. Many of the fine temples around the town were sponsored by the timber merchants, who made vast fortunes from the hardwood. The highly sought hardwood was also the main building material used for the magnificent Wat Phra That Lampang Luan, thought to be the oldest wooden building still standing in Thailand.One of the more pleasurable sights in Lampang are its horse-drawn carts. Although the more modern modes of transport have overwhelmed the streets of most cities, these equine-driven carts are still a form of public transport around town.
Places of Attraction
This wat, situated on the northern side of the Wang River, once housed the famous Emerald Buddha. The Buddha (now enclosed in Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok) was enshrined here for 32 years, from 1436 to 1468. The columns and ceiling of the viharn are to be admired for their intricately inlaid porcelain and enamel. The Burmese-style chapel (mondop) is decorated with glass mosaic.
This temple was built over 200 years ago and has been registered with the Fine Arts Department as a national treasure. It is considered one of the finest Burmese style temples in Thailand. Unfortunately, the beautifully carved wooden viharn was damaged by fire in 1993, leaving only the carved arch of the entrance.
Located about 6 km to the north east of town, towards Jao Hom. The temple derives its name from the group of twenty Lanna style chedis contained within the compound - sao means 20 in the Northern Thai language. The main image is a solid gold seated Buddha, from the 15th century. It weighs over 1.5kg and is said to hold a piece of the Lord Buddha's skull. The image is enclosed in a pavilion built on a small pond.
Wat Prathat Lampang Luang
This marvellous collection of religious buildings are considered to be of the finest found in Thailand. The whole complex can be admired for its distinctive Lanna-style architecture. The most outstanding structure in the complex is the open-sided Viharn Luang, believed to have been built in 1476. The triple-tiered roof of the viharn is supported by teak pillars that have been finely decorated. Behind the viharn is the principle chedi, standing 45m high and made from stone, covered with copper and brass plates. The chedi was erected in 1449 and later restored in 1496. The oldest of the buildings is the Viharn Phra Phut, thought to date back to the 13th century.
