# Wat Chiang Man — Chiang Mai's oldest temple > Wat Chiang Man is Chiang Mai's oldest temple, founded by King Mangrai in 1297 on the site of his camp while the city was being built. It has a stupa 'carried' by 15 brick elephants and two of the city's guardian images — a crystal Buddha and a stone stele. Entry is free. The temple is quiet and small — 30–40 minutes is enough. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-chiang-man - City: [Chiang Mai](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai), Thailand - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; donations welcome - Hours: Daily, roughly 6:00–17:00; the small viharn is sometimes closed - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off at the hall doors - Highlights: The elephant stupa, the crystal Buddha, the Phra Sila stele - Time needed: 30–40 minutes - Where: North-east of the Old City; 10–15 minutes on foot from Tha Phae Gate - Coordinates: 18.79379, 98.98940 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1297** — King Mangrai built Chiang Mai's first temple (source: English Wikipedia) - **Camp** — the temple stands where the king lived while his new capital was built (source: English Wikipedia) - **15 elephants** — life-sized, 'carry' the Chedi Chang Lom on their backs (source: English Wikipedia) - **1465** — the date on a standing Buddha's base — one of the oldest in Lanna (source: English Wikipedia) - **10 cm** — the height of the clear quartz Crystal Buddha, Phra Sae Tang Khamani (source: English Wikipedia) - **6 kg** — of gold in the Crystal Buddha's base and canopy (1874) (source: English Wikipedia) - **Phra Sila** — a stone stele of the Buddha taming an elephant, honoured at Songkran (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 800 m** — to Wat Chedi Luang — 10 minutes on foot (source: OSM) ## What is Wat Chiang Man? **Wat Chiang Man** is **Chiang Mai's oldest temple**. **King Mangrai**, the city's founder, built it in **1297** on the site of the fortified camp where he lived while his new capital took shape. It sits in a quiet north-eastern corner of the Old City, noticeably calmer than its big neighbours. Its oldest structure is **Chedi Chang Lom** ('Elephant Stupa'): the front halves of **15 life-sized brick elephants** emerge from its base, as if carrying the upper tiers on their backs. The main viharn holds a Buddha statue dated **1465** — one of the oldest in Lanna. ## The city's guardian images The small viharn holds two images regarded as **guardians of Chiang Mai**. **Phra Sae Tang Khamani** (the 'Crystal Buddha') is a **10 cm** figure of clear quartz on a gold base and canopy containing more than 6 kg of gold. Its age is disputed: one view puts it at almost two thousand years old, another in the 15th century. **Phra Sila** is a stone stele of the Buddha taming an elephant. It's believed to bring rain, so it's honoured at **Songkran**, at the end of the dry season. The small viharn isn't always open — the images can be seen through a grille. > **A quiet temple — keep it quiet** Wat Chiang Man is a working temple with fewer tour groups, and locals often come to pray. Cover shoulders and knees, take your shoes off at the hall doors and don't climb the elephant stupa. Entry is free — leave a donation in the box if you'd like to support the temple. ## What to see - **Chedi Chang Lom** — 15 elephants around its base. - **The main viharn** — the 1465 Buddha and a gilded facade. - **The small viharn** — the Crystal Buddha and the Phra Sila stele. - **Gilded carved gables** in Lanna style. - **The ubosot** — the ordination hall. - **The quiet courtyard** with palm trees. ## How to get to Wat Chiang Man 1. **From Tha Phae Gate** — 10–15 minutes north-west on foot through the Old City. 2. **From Wat Chedi Luang** — about 800 m, 10 minutes north on foot. 3. **By red songthaew, Grab or tuk-tuk** — to Ratchaphakhinai Road. 4. **From Chang Phueak Gate** (the north gate) — 5–10 minutes on foot. 5. Enter from Ratchaphakhinai Road. ## How long do you need, and when to go? Allow **30–40 minutes**. Mornings are especially quiet, with soft light on the elephants. Start an Old City route here, then continue to **Wat Chedi Luang** and **Wat Phra Singh**. It's a good stop if you're tired of crowds: small, but with the city's most ancient buildings. ## Is Wat Chiang Man worth visiting? Yes: it's the cradle of Chiang Mai, free and peaceful, and its elephant stupa is one of the most unusual in town. The YesGo take: the temple is small, and its key images are behind a grille and not always easy to see. Don't cross town just for it — combine it with its neighbours. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] Shoes that slip off easily - [ ] Small change for a donation - [ ] Going in the morning - [ ] Next: Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh ## 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 Wat Chiang Man is a temple in the Old City; its name resembles the city's but they're different words. The Crystal Buddha here isn't Bangkok's Emerald Buddha. ## Tips - The best shot is the stupa's elephants from a corner of the courtyard in the morning. - The Crystal Buddha is visible through the small viharn's grille. - Start your Old City route here. - Don't climb the stupa. - 10 minutes away: [Wat Chedi Luang](https://yesgo.io/thailand/chiang-mai/wat-chedi-luang). ## Questions ### Is there an entrance fee at Wat Chiang Man? No, entry is free. ### Is it really Chiang Mai's oldest temple? Yes — King Mangrai built it in 1297. ### What are the opening hours? Roughly 6:00 to 17:00 (according to guides). ### What is the Crystal Buddha? A 10 cm clear quartz figure, one of the city's guardian images. ### Where is the elephant stupa? In the temple grounds — Chedi Chang Lom, with 15 elephants around its base. ### How do I get there? 10–15 minutes on foot from Tha Phae Gate. ### What is the dress code? Shoulders and knees covered. ### How long do you need? 30–40 minutes. ## How we checked There's no official website. History, the stupa, statues and images are from English Wikipedia; scholars disagree on the Crystal Buddha's date, so we give both views without figures. In line with YesGo policy we don't go into King Mangrai's military campaigns. The 6:00–17:00 hours and the small viharn's occasional closure come from guides and are marked unconfirmed. The distance to Wat Chedi Luang is from OSM coordinates. ## Sources - English Wikipedia — Wat Chiang Man: founding in 1297, Chedi Chang Lom, the 1465 statue, the Crystal Buddha, the Phra Sila stele - 2026 travel guides — opening hours (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.