WAT SUAN DOK

Wat Suan Dok  which translates as Flower Garden Temple is a Buddhist temple (Wat) in Chiang Mai.

The Chiang Mai campus of the Buddhist Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University is housed within the temple compound.

Wat Suan Dok was founded by King Kue Na of Lanna for the monk Sumana Thera in the year 1370 CE. The temple was built in the centre of Wiang Suan Dok , a walled settlement  of the Lawa people older than Chiang Mai itself. 

 

    There's a  large 48 meter high bell shaped chedi built in a Sri Lankan style  The relic of the Buddha is said to be contained within. Stairs on all four sides originally led up to the narrow terrace encircling the chedi but these have since been replaced by ramps, the balusters of which are decorated with seven-headed nagas emerging from the mouths of makaras, a typical for the classic Lanna style.

 

    The ubosot contains a 4.70 m (15.4 ft) high bronze Buddha statue in the Bhumisparsha-Mudra posture called Phra Chao Kao, which was caste in 1504 CE during the rule of King Mueang Kaeo. The  fingers of the Buddha are all of the same length, indicative of influence from Sukhothai, but with robes depicted in the style of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.

    A grouping of white washed mausoleums houses the cremation ashes of members of the royal family of Chiang Mai .

 

During our tour, renovation is on going near the gold chedi. Notice that the workers are mostly female.