Wat Phra Singh: Chiang Mai's most revered temple
The most revered temple in Chiang Mai's Old City — gilded Lanna halls, faded murals worth lingering over, and one of Thailand's prettiest scripture libraries.
Wat Phra Singh's main assembly hall (Wihan Luang). Photo: Stefan Fussan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
If you only visit one temple inside Chiang Mai's Old City, make it Wat Phra Singh. It's the city's most revered temple — a proper working temple with resident monks — and about the finest example of classic Lanna architecture you'll find anywhere in the north.
It sits at the quiet west end of Ratchadamnoen Road, so it's an easy walk or a two-minute scooter hop from the moat. Here's what to look out for, and what to know before you go.
A quick backstory
Wat Phra Singh was founded in 1345 by King Phayu of the Mangrai dynasty, originally to hold the ashes of his father, King Kham Fu, in the chedi on the site. It later took its name from the revered Phra Singh (Phra Buddha Sihing) Buddha image brought here in the late 14th century. In 1935 it was elevated to a royal temple of the first grade — that's the "Woramahawihan" in its full name.
What to see
The grounds are bigger than they first look, but a few things stand out.
Wihan Lai Kham is the star. It's a small, almost impossibly ornate assembly hall from the 1820s, covered in gilded gold-pattern stucco (lai kham means "gold pattern"). Inside are its famous faded murals — early-19th-century scenes of everyday Lanna life woven into the Sang Thong and Suwannahong folk tales — and the Phra Singh Buddha itself, the image the whole temple is named after.
The large golden chedi is the original 1345 stupa built for King Kham Fu's ashes, enlarged over the centuries. And don't miss the Ho Trai, the scripture library — raised high on a stone base studded with stucco angels, both to look beautiful and to keep the manuscripts safe from floods and insects. It's widely called one of the prettiest of its kind in Thailand.
Keep an eye out for the naga — the mythical serpents whose bodies flank the stairways into the main halls. They're a signature of Lanna temples, and Wat Phra Singh has some of the best.
Know before you go
The grounds are free to wander. There's a small fee for foreigners to go inside the main hall and Wihan Lai Kham — usually somewhere around 20–40 THB.
It's open daily from 5.30am to 7.30pm — and until 11pm on Sundays, when the walking street fills Ratchadamnoen right outside. Go early if you can: it's cooler, quieter, and the light on the gold is lovely.
Dress respectfully: shoulders and knees covered, and shoes off before you step inside the halls. If you turn up underdressed, you can borrow a sarong at the entrance. Half an hour to an hour is plenty to see the highlights.
One to time if you can: during Songkran in mid-April, the Phra Singh image is carried out of Wihan Lai Kham on a decorated chariot and paraded through the city so people can pour water over it for a blessing — a pretty special time to be there.
While you're in the Old City
It sits right on Ratchadamnoen, so you're a short ride from Wat Chedi Luang, the Sunday Walking Street runs right past the door, and Tha Phae Gate is at the far end. The Old City's temples are easy to tick off in an afternoon on two wheels.
Quick questions
Where is Wat Phra Singh?
At the west end of Ratchadamnoen Road, inside Chiang Mai's Old City moat — very central, an easy walk or short scooter ride from Tha Phae Gate.
How much is the entrance fee?
The grounds are free to wander. There's a small fee for foreigners to enter the main hall and Wihan Lai Kham — usually around 20–40 THB.
What are the opening hours?
It's open daily from 5.30am to 7.30pm, and until 11pm on Sundays. Early morning is the quietest and coolest time to visit.
Is there a dress code?
Yes — cover your shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off before entering the halls. You can borrow a sarong at the entrance if you're underdressed.
What's the one thing not to miss?
Wihan Lai Kham — the small, richly decorated hall with gilded stucco, wonderful old Lanna murals, and the revered Phra Singh Buddha inside.
