Wat Phan Tao

The lamps

Monks light hundreds of small butter lamps and set them on the water here

Wat Phan Tao is a focal point for celebrations during the Visakha Bucha festival, when monks light hundreds of small butter lamps and place them on the water and around the grounds. It is also a focal point during the Loy Krathong festival.

The name

The name means a thousand furnaces, for the hearths that cast Buddha images

Wat Phan Tao was once part of neighbouring Wat Chedi Luang, which was constructed in the mid-15th century. Its name means the temple of a thousand furnaces, a reference to the many hearths and melting pots at the temple that were used to cast Buddha images.

A royal hall

The wooden hall was a royal residence before it was moved here in 1876

The wooden assembly hall is a rare example of a former ho kham, or royal hall. It served as a royal residence and public hall for Mahotaraprathet, the fifth ruler of Chiang Mai, from 1846 to 1854. The seventh ruler, Inthawichayanon, moved it to its current spot in 1876, while renovating Wat Chedi Luang.

The carvings

Look above the door for a peacock, and below it for a sleeping dog

The assembly hall is made of teak and held up by 28 wooden pillars. Above the main door is a carved peacock decorated with glass, a symbol of northern nobility. Underneath is a sleeping dog, which symbolises the birth year of the original owner.

28wooden pillars hold up the teak hall

1498

The main Buddha was cast in 1498, and insects closed the hall in 2021

The principal Buddha image, Phra Chao Pan Tao, sits on the main altar in the Maravijaya attitude and was cast in 1498. In 1975 the temple was renovated after rain had damaged the back wall. In 2021 it was closed for an extended period for repairs, after insects were found to have damaged the wooden structure.