Lamphun Tourist Attraction :
Wat Phra That Haripunchai
| Situated 670 kilometers north of Bangkok, Lamphun is one of the most ancient and enchanting provinces in Thailand. It is located along the banks of Kuang River. |
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One of the major tourist attractions in Lamphun is the Wat Phra That Haripoonchai, which is considered to be one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in the entire country.
The temple was built during the reign of King Arthitayaraj in 1651 BC on the site that was once considered for the construction of the royal palace. Initially, the temple was constructed as a mondop so as to hold the holy relic of Lord Buddha. Most notable feature of this temple is the 46 meter tall golden chedi that was constructed in place of the mondop. However, the chedi underwent numerous renovations and modifications before attaining the current shape and from. This chedi is richly decorated at the bottom, while the upper part is covered in ornamental gilded copper plates with a nine-tier gold canopy at the tip of the spire. Once every year, a ceremonial procession is carried out wherein the chedi is washed with holy water as per Buddhist rituals.
The entire architecture of the temple complex is in Burmese style as is depicted by the two great lions that greet the visitors at the entrance of the temple. Located on the eastern side of the chedi is a temple gong that is believed to have been erected in the 13th century. This gong is considered as one of the largest in the world with a diameter of approximately 2 meters. Other notable features in and around the temple include a 15 meter long reclining Buddha image near the temple entrance, 3 bronze images of Lord Buddha in the Chiang Sean style, beautiful wooden ceiling and delicately etched interiors. The charming old wooden library present on the left side of the wiharn contains valuable palm-leaf manuscripts.
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