Chiang Rai Tourist Attraction :
Wat Pa Sak
| Wat Pa Sak is a famous ancient temple of Chiang Rai, located right outside the city walls, in Tambon Wiang, which is just about one kilometer to the west of Chiang Saen town. |
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It used to serve as the residence of the patriarch long time ago. The temple was christened as ‘Wat Pa Sak’ (meaning the Temple in the Teak Forest) to commemorate the efforts of King Saen Phu, who got this temple built in 1295 AD, and got about three hundred teak trees planted all around the temple.
The temple is very famous all over Thailand for its ornamental stucco motifs, and the temple’s chedi, which reflects the beautiful Lanna-styled architecture of Northern Thailand. The temple houses the holy relics of Buddha brought here from Pataliputra in India. The magnificent temple is bestowed with a pyramidal chedi which is almost 12.5 meters tall and 8 meters wide at the base. It has five delicately tapering spires and is considered as ‘the best’ and the most beautiful of all the chedis designed in Lanna-style of architecture. This chedi has been heavily influenced by the Sukhothai, Pagan (Phukam), and Hariphunchai artistic styles of architecture and incorporates the elements of these styles.
The temple houses 12 large niches and 16 smaller niches depicting intricately decorated Sukhothai Buddhas. The exteriors are also elaborately decorated with rich ornamentation all over the middle section as well as the sections leading up to the spire.
Although most of the buildings are in complete ruins, the teak trees are still standing tall and firm and offer the much needed shade, serenity and tranquility to the temple environment. The admission fee to enter the temple premises is 30 Baht.
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