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As the city prospered, villages located near the outer walls, particularly to the south and west, became extensions of the city. Merchants set up businesses along the roads (now Thapae Road and Chang Moi Road) from the landings and bamboo bridges on the river, forming the commercial heart of the city. To protect them an outer system of defense known as the kamphaeng din was added some time after restorations to the city walls were carried out in 1519.
During the two centuries of Burmese occupation, there is little evidence of the city's development. The fortifications seen today were rebuilt by Chao Kawila after he liberated the city at the end of the 18th century. To defend against further attacks by the Burmese, he added the bastions at each corner.
Barring minor restoration, the overall shape of the bastions on the corners are much as Kawila had built them. At some stage earlier this century, the walls and gates between the corners were dismantled to open up the city, and the bricks were used to pave the roads.
In 1996-7 archaeological excavations were made before the walls near the gates were extensively renovated. At the north-east corner the excavation site has been covered with a roof and left open. Bricks dated Buddhist Era 2539 (1996) were placed regularly in the new brickwork.
The present gateways were reconstructed in the late 1960s. Reflecting the importance of commerce, the most commonly used gate for city events today is Thapae Gate. The open concourse in front of the gate is used for anything from beauty contests to political rallies. At each of the corners and gates, modern inscriptions in English give information about each place. These may be found facing the road on the outer side of the moats.
The Three Kings Statue is in front of the old provincial hall very close to the center of the old city. At the south west corner of the square on Inthawororot Road is the site of the former temple and original location of the city pillar - Wat Sadoe Muang, which means "temple of the navel of the city". According to legend the site was a former grove where Mangrai saw two fearless white deer drive off a pack of hunting dogs. He took this as an auspicious omen for the siting of the city
The only remains of the temple are two chedi. An inscription nearby dates the octagonal chedi back to the 14th century. The Buddha images under the shelter go back to the time of Kawila.
Behind the monument stands the old provincial hall. It was converted into an Art and Culture Hall. Across Phrapokklao Road to the east stands the Chiang Mai magistrate court.