Wiang Kum Kam

A first capital

Wiang Kum Kam was a capital of King Mangrai before Chiang Mai

Wiang Kum Kam lies along the Ping River, around 3 km south of the southeastern corner of Chiang Mai's city centre. King Mangrai built it in the latter part of the 13th century, as a new capital after his victory over the Mon kingdom of Hariphunchai, modern Lamphun.

The river

Repeated floods led the king to build Chiang Mai a few years later

Because of repeated flooding, a new capital, Chiang Mai, was built a few years later. Wiang Kum Kam flourished under the Mangrai dynasty until the late 16th century. In 2005 the old city was flooded three separate times as the river overflowed its banks, which made the move easier to understand.

Found again

The city dropped out of history after 1558, and was found again in 1984

After Chiang Mai was conquered by the Burmese in 1558, the old city was lost from history for many years. More than 200 years later people moved back to the area and named the new community Chang Kham village. In 1984 the Department of Fine Arts discovered remnants of the old city, and excavation began.

A working temple

Wat Chedi Liam is the one ancient temple here still home to monks

Wat Chedi Liam, once Wat Ku Kham, is named for its ancient five-level chedi of Mon style, copied from a similar structure at Wat Phra That Hariphunchai in Lamphun. It is apparently the only ancient temple in the archaeological area that remains a working temple with resident monks. In keeping with its Mon roots, Brahma is venerated here in addition to Buddhism.

The ruins

Wat Nan Chang was buried under 1.8 meters of river sediment

Excavated from 2002 to 2003, Wat Nan Chang is a ruined temple that mainly offers evidence of ancient flooding, having been inundated by some 1.8 meters of sediment. Elsewhere on the site, Wat Chang Kham, the Elephant-Propped Temple, takes its name from elephant figures supporting one of its structures.

1.8 metersof sediment covered Wat Nan Chang