Chiang Mai — Old Town & Temples

Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 by King Mengrai as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom, making it one of Thailand's oldest cities. The Old City is enclosed by a square moat and remnants of the medieval city wall — a compact area of about 1.5 × 1.5 kilometers, where over 30 Buddhist temples are crowded. You can hardly walk three minutes without encountering a golden chedi, a praying monk, or the scent of incense.

The most important temple in the Old City is Wat Chedi Luang, built from 1391 and once 82 meters high — the largest chedi ever erected in Northern Thailand. An earthquake in 1545 destroyed the upper half, but the remaining 60 meters are still monumental. In the temple complex stands the famous City Pillar (Säulen-Gummibaum), which the locals revere as the residence of the city spirit. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, monks offer "Monk Chat" — a unique opportunity to talk with young monks about Buddhism, life in the monastery, and the modern world (in English!).

Just around the corner is Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai's most revered temple. The Viharn Lai Kham (chapel) from the 14th century houses the Phra Singh Buddha, one of the most significant Buddha figures in Northern Thailand. The murals inside are among the most beautiful of Lanna art: scenes from the life of Buddha and everyday life in ancient Lanna, in delicate gold tones on a red background. The temple is the center of the Songkran celebrations (Thai New Year, April 13-15), when the figure is carried in a procession through the city.

Other gems: Wat Chiang Man (the oldest temple in the city, 1296), supported by 15 stone elephants, houses the tiny crystal Buddha and the marble Buddha. Wat Umong, slightly outside the Old City, is a meditative wonder — a forest temple from the 14th century with tunnel-like passages, moss-covered stupas, and a lake full of turtles. Monks meditate here in caves, and the silence is almost palpable.

The rhythm of the Old City is leisurely: In the morning, monks in saffron robes collect alms (Tak Bat, from 6 AM — please only observe, do not photograph!), during the day there is a sleepy temple silence, and in the evening the quarter comes to life in the side streets with small restaurants, bars, and massage studios. The bicycle is the perfect means of transport: The Old City is flat, the distances short, and a rental bike costs 50-100 THB per day.