Family visit: stop at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang – Trip April 2012

Lampang, Northern Provinces, Travel to Thailand

For this day on the road our destination was Sukhothai, but having Lampang included on the journey we made a small detour to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang before reaching the ancient capital, where we will spend the Songkran festivities. Wat Phra That Lampang Luang was also under renovation so as not to change… It is a temple over 540 years old, at the time part of a defensive advance of the ancient fortified city that was Lampang.

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang

The main viharn, all made of teak wood, is probably one of the oldest wooden constructions. It has a 45m high chedi as well as a "footprint" of Buddha and 3 small museums (one bringing together Buddhist ceremonial objects and relics, another soberly entitled "house of the Emerald Buddha" contains coins and notes from all periods as well as various objects and as its name indicates an Emerald Buddha (which I assume to be a replica of the famous one) kindly kept behind a gate. Finally, the last one obviously contains Buddhas as well as ceramics and various manuscripts.

The heat is definitely here!

Getting into the shade seems essential.

The main facade and its staircase lined with Nagas.

Just opposite.

For once, Work In Progress.

The walls are laminated to protect them.

Knowing that it is common to see something new, but in use, still covered in its protective plastic, such as car seats, an office chair, furniture like those in our kitchen that I had to remove or even more commonly the plastic on the newly installed light switches, it gives the impression of a temple that they have just unpacked and which would be subject to remaining like that...

There is still work to be done.

Roll of fabric intended to be wrapped around the chedi, one can make a donation and write one's name, thought of the day, prayer or other "dedication".

Here a donation gives you the “right” to sprinkle the chedi with holy water.

To do this, you have to pull on the cord which will raise a small bucket which will be poured out by a temple attendant by pulling on a string attached to the bucket.

Detail on the chedi, in yellow of the writing of the ancient Lanna kingdom.

Come on, everyone, family!

In this small building at the back is a “footprint” of Buddha, forbidden to women… (isn’t that right, Mom!)

From the inside.

Moooooo.

Inside another viharn there is a rather unusual phenomenon, a hole in the wall lets light pass through which is reflected like a "mirror" on a white sheet. If the photo is blurry due to lack of light and tripod, in reality the image is very clear which is more impressive, we can clearly see the chedi located just behind.