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Construction on the chedi probably began in the late ninth century, but it was enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century. The chedi took its final shape in the rein of King Tilokarat in the 15th century.
The parasols at the corners and on the pinnacle of the chedi were placed by Kawila. The nine-tiered umbrella at the top of the chedi is in the Sri Lankan style, which reflects the origins of Theravada Buddhism in the region. On the full moon day of the sixth lunar month, an annual homage and bathing ceremony of the Phrathat is held.
The main viharn, a large structure containing the Phra Chao Thongtip Buddha and several smaller images was rebuilt in 1925. South of the viharn is a small 19th century scripture repository . Moving west along the south wall of the sanctuary one finds a small sala with four Buddha footprints within each other.
In the south-west corner a small museum has a fine silver Buddha image in the Haripunchai-style as well as several good examples of 15-16th century Lanna Buddha images.
Next to the museum on the south side is the Than Chai viharn. The viharn contains a standing Buddha image as well as some remarkable murals that were painted in the 1950's. The west and north walls depict Buddhist bells and the east and south walls scenes from the coming of the next (Maitreya) Buddha.
In the north-west corner, the small Suwanan Chedi was built in 1467 as a replica of the original at Wat Chamadevi.
Finally, the compound contains a red Shan-looking structure holding a bell and a large gong.
(1 km. east across narrow bridge over the Kuang River in front of Wat Phrathat Haripunchai.)
Located in a grove, the temple has a chedi with a large square base and four tall standing Buddha images in arched niches. The old site is said to go back to the 11th century when a large standing Buddha image was built in the grove.
The temple was expanded when Phra Sumana Thera stayed for two years around 1370. His visit is recorded on the oldest stela in the Chiang Mai valley, which still stands under a small shelter near the entrance to the temple. An English explanation of the writing is provided at the site.
Old residents have recorded that the original structure at the site of the present chedi was a mondop with a pinnacled wooden roof (the mondop in the ubosot of Wat Phra Singh is thought to be a loose copy of this vanished structure).
The structure had four standing Buddha images twice the height of the present ones. The chedi was rebuilt in a Burmese-style at the beginning of this century.
(Inthayongyot Road opposite Wat Phrathat Haripunchai. Open Wednesday to Sunday 08:30-16:00 10 Baht.)
The museum contains a good display that includes some excellent examples of Haripunchai art.
(1.5 km -follow the narrow road north-east along the banks of the Kuang for a kilometer; a lane to the north called Thanon Ku Chang leads to the site.)
Local people have left many carved wooden elephants in front of the first of two chedis at Ku Chang. Queen Chamadevi's legendary elephant is said to be buried here.
See also: [The Three Javelins] [Hong] [Dipterocarpus Alatus] [The Lohasimbali Hell]