# Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai > Wat Chedi Luang is the 'temple of the great stupa' in the centre of Chiang Mai's Old City. Its 15th-century brick stupa stood 82 m tall — the largest building in Lanna; its top collapsed in the 16th century, and the ruin was preserved. Entry for foreigners is about 40–50 baht (unofficial), and it's open roughly 6:00–18:00. By day you can chat with monks. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-chedi-luang - City: [Chiang Mai](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai), Thailand - YesGo score: 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry for foreigners: About 40–50 baht in cash; less for children - Hours: Daily, roughly 6:00–18:00 - Monk chat: By day, roughly 9:00–18:00, on the north side of the grounds - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off at the hall doors - City pillar: The Sao Inthakin shrine — by tradition, only men go inside - Where: Phra Pokklao Road, central Old City; 10 minutes from Tha Phae Gate - Coordinates: 18.78694, 98.98639 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **82 m** — the stupa's 15th-century height, with a 54 m base — the largest building in Lanna (source: English Wikipedia) - **14th century** — work began under King Saenmueangma to hold his father's ashes (source: English Wikipedia) - **1545** — the top ≈ 30 m of the stupa collapsed; the ruin was preserved (source: English Wikipedia) - **1468–1551** — the Emerald Buddha stood in the eastern niche — it's now in Bangkok (source: English Wikipedia) - **1995** — for the stupa's 600th anniversary, a black jade copy of the Emerald Buddha was placed in the niche (source: English Wikipedia) - **Sao Inthakin** — the city's guardian pillar was moved here in 1800 (source: English Wikipedia) - **3 temples** — once made up today's grounds (source: English Wikipedia) - **Every day** — monk chats let you ask about Buddhism and Thailand (source: English Wikipedia) ## Entrance fee, hours and rules According to guides, entry for foreigners costs **about 40–50 baht** — pay cash at the desk by the entrance; children pay less. The temple is open **daily from about 6:00 to 18:00**. There's no official website, so check prices on site. **Cover shoulders and knees** and take your shoes off at the hall doors. By tradition, only men enter the **Sao Inthakin** city pillar shrine. Don't climb the stupa or sit with your back to Buddha images. ## What is Wat Chedi Luang? **Wat Chedi Luang** ('temple of the great stupa') stands at the very heart of **Chiang Mai's Old City**. The stupa was begun in the 14th century under King Saenmueangma to hold his father's ashes and finished by the mid-15th century under King Tilokaraj. It then reached **82 m** on a **54 m** base — the **largest building in Lanna**. In **1545** the top 30 m or so collapsed, and it has stood as a majestic ruin ever since. It was partly restored in the 1990s with support from UNESCO and Japan. From 1468 to 1551 the **eastern niche** held the **Emerald Buddha**, now in Bangkok's Grand Palace; in 1995, for the stupa's 600th anniversary, a **black jade** copy was placed there. > **Chat with a monk** Every day on the north side of the grounds there's 'monk chat': young monks and novices practise their English and answer questions about Buddhism and life in Thailand. It's free. Women shouldn't touch monks or hand them things directly. ## What to see - **The great stupa** — a ruin over 50 m tall with naga-lined stairs. - **The eastern niche** with the black jade copy of the Emerald Buddha. - **Elephants** around the base of the stupa. - **The Phra Chao Attarot Buddha** hall by the entrance, from the late 14th century. - **The Sao Inthakin city pillar shrine** and its three sacred trees. - **The reclining Buddha pavilion** on the other side of the stupa. ## How to get to Wat Chedi Luang 1. **From Tha Phae Gate** — about 10 minutes west on foot along Ratchadamnoen Road, then south on Phra Pokklao Road. 2. **From Wat Phra Singh** — about 5–10 minutes on foot. 3. **By red songthaew, Grab or tuk-tuk** — to Phra Pokklao Road in the Old City. 4. **From Chiang Mai airport** — 15–20 minutes by taxi. 5. Enter from Phra Pokklao Road; the ticket desk is at the gate. ## How long do you need, and when to go? Allow **an hour**, or an hour and a half with a monk chat. Mornings, **around 7:00–8:00**, are quiet and cool; in the evening the stupa is beautifully lit. In **May** the 6–8-day city pillar festival takes place here — crowded but atmospheric. Wat Chedi Luang pairs easily with **Wat Phra Singh** and **Wat Chiang Man** — all three are in the Old City, 10–15 minutes apart. ## Is Wat Chedi Luang worth visiting? Yes: the huge half-ruined stupa is one of Chiang Mai's most impressive sights, and monk chat is a rare chance to learn about Buddhism first-hand. The YesGo take: there's an entry fee, and the 1990s restoration divides historians — some details aren't in Lanna style. But for a first look at Chiang Mai it's an essential stop. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] 40–50 baht in small change - [ ] Questions ready for a monk chat - [ ] Shoes that slip off easily - [ ] Nearby: Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man ## Chiang Mai temples: compare and choose Chiang Mai temples rated by YesGo. - [Wat Chiang Man](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-chiang-man) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free - [Wat Umong](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-umong) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free - [Wat Chedi Luang](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-chedi-luang) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 40–50 baht - [Wat Sri Suphan (Silver Temple)](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-sri-suphan) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 50 baht - [Wat Phra Singh](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-phra-singh) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · grounds free; Lai Kham ≈ 20 baht - [Wat Phra That Doi Suthep](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/doi-suthep) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 30 baht, funicular ≈ 20 ## Chiang Mai's Old City in half a day Wat Chiang Man, then Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh — all three in the Old City. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Wat Chiang Man](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-chiang-man) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free 2. [Wat Chedi Luang](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-chedi-luang) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 40–50 baht 3. [Wat Phra Singh](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-phra-singh) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · grounds free; Lai Kham ≈ 20 baht ## Good to know Chiang Mai's Wat Chedi Luang is in the Old City. A temple of the same name is in Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai province. The Emerald Buddha that once stood here is now in Bangkok's Grand Palace. ## Tips - The best shot of the stupa is from the east side, by the naga stairs. - In the evening the stupa is beautifully lit. - Monk chat is free, on the north side. - Don't sit with your back to a Buddha for photos. - 5–10 minutes away: [Wat Phra Singh](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-phra-singh). ## Questions ### How much is entry to Wat Chedi Luang? About 40–50 baht for foreigners (according to guides). ### What are Wat Chedi Luang's opening hours? Daily, roughly 6:00 to 18:00. ### How tall was the stupa? 82 m; today it's a ruin after its top collapsed in 1545. ### Where can I talk to monks? On the north side of the grounds, by day, free of charge. ### Did the Emerald Buddha stand here? Yes, from 1468 to 1551; a black jade copy now sits in the niche. ### What is the dress code? Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off at the hall doors. ### How do I get there? About 10 minutes on foot from Tha Phae Gate. ### How long do you need? About an hour. ## How we checked There's no official website. History, dimensions, the Emerald Buddha, restoration and Sao Inthakin are from English Wikipedia; we don't dwell on the cause of the 1545 collapse. Price: guides give 40–50 baht, one says free (probably outdated) — marked unconfirmed. Most give 6:00–18:00 hours. The men-only custom at the pillar shrine is a local tradition reported by guides. The namesake temple in Chiang Saen was filtered out. ## Sources - English Wikipedia — Wat Chedi Luang: history, stupa height and size, 1545, the Emerald Buddha, 1990s restoration, 1995 copy, Sao Inthakin, monk chat - 2026 travel guides (Thai Holiday Guide and others) — price, hours, monk chat location (unofficial) - OSM — temple coordinates - YesGo general facts for Thailand — payment, transport --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.