Wat Chedi Luang
A massive 15th-century ruined chedi in the middle of the old city, once home to the Emerald Buddha.
Wat Chedi Luang is the ruined 15th-century temple in the middle of Chiang Mai's old city, built to hold a huge brick-and-stone chedi that partly collapsed in the 1545 earthquake. Entry is 40 baht and 45 minutes is enough, though the monk chat is worth longer.
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A massive 15th-century ruined chedi in the middle of the old city, once home to the Emerald Buddha.
The chedi was 82 metres tall when it was finished in 1481 — the largest in Lanna. It held the Emerald Buddha for 80 years before the image was moved to Luang Prabang and eventually to Bangkok's Grand Palace. The upper third fell in the 1545 quake and was never rebuilt, which is why you see the massive square base with a much smaller restored top.
It is the most atmospheric temple in Chiang Mai — the broken top is from an earthquake in 1545, and the scale is startling up close. Monk chats are held here most afternoons.
What you’ll actually see
- The elephant buttresses around the base of the chedi — five of the original six survive
- The city pillar (Inthakin) in its small pavilion, guarded and only open during the May festival
- The reclining Buddha and the ordination hall with its jade Buddha
- The monk chat corner, where novices practise English with visitors
How to visit it well
- The city pillar (Lak Mueang) next door is for men only; women wait outside.
- Come at dusk when the chedi is lit.
- Sunday Walking Street starts at its gate.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Treating it as a five-minute photo stop — the Lanna history in the side halls is the point
- Wearing shorts; you will be turned away
- Missing the monk chat, which is free and the best 20 minutes in the old city
Is it worth it?
Worth an hour, mainly for the chance to see a ruined monumental chedi at close range inside a working temple. Combine it with the Sunday Walking Street, which runs right past the entrance, or with Wat Phra Singh ten minutes west.
Common questions
45 minutes for the main chedi and halls, 90 minutes if you do the monk chat.
Yes if you are already in the old city. It is not a substitute for Doi Suthep, but the scale of the ruined chedi is impressive and the location is unbeatable.
An earthquake in 1545 brought down the upper section. Restoration in the 1990s rebuilt the top in a smaller form rather than attempting a full reconstruction.
6am to 6pm daily. The city pillar shrine is only open during the Inthakin festival in late May.
Tours that include Wat Chedi Luang
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Last updated: October 2026 · Prices and hours checked by Kanya Pongsak