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ThailandDescription and is it worth a visit
Phra Singh Temple (Wat Phra Singh, also Wat Phra Sing) – in our opinion the second most important among the historical temples of Chiang Rai after Temple of the Emerald Buddha Wat Phra Kaew. And both temples, by the way, are only a few minutes walk from each other, so you can and should see both of them.
The importance of the Phra Singh temple for the faithful of Thailand is difficult to overestimate. The fact is that in the past there was kept a very important statue of Buddha Guatama, the second most important after the famous emerald Buddha. This is a statue of a Golden seated Buddha with a height of 79 centimeters. In general, strictly speaking, this statue is made of bronze with gilding, but this does not at all beg for its significance, even despite the fact that in Thailand there are other statues of the Buddha made of gold much larger and heavier than this one. It's all about the history of its origin.
The temple of Pra Singh was built in 1345, but initially the famous statue was not kept here. According to one version, the path of the Golden Buddha began in Sri Lanka, where it was made in 157 AD. In 1307, she came to Thailand and was kept in a temple in the ancient city of Sukhothai. Then she was moved to the temple in Pitsanulok, then to Ayutthaya, to Kamphaengphet, and only in 1388 she got to this temple of Pra Singh in Chiang Rai. Here it was kept in a beautiful wooden box in the architectural style of the kingdom of Lanna, decorated with fine carvings. It can still be seen today. It occupies the central place of this temple complex.
But the "journey" of the statue did not end there either. After spending a short time in Chiang Rai, she was again transported to Ayutthaya, and then in 1407 to Chiang Mai to the famous temple with the same name Wat Phra Singh. But that's not all, and she was transported several more times between Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya, until finally, in 1803, she was placed in The Royal Palace in Bangkok. Now it can be seen in The National Museum of Bangkok, where it occupies one of the most honorable center places.
In the temple of Pra Singh in Chiang Rai today there is a copy of that very statue, and it is also important and revered. Pay attention to the architecture and carving of the wooden ubosot in which it is exhibited. Although this is a copy of the temple of the XIV century, but they say that everything is recreated exactly as it was. Also on the territory of the complex there is a sacred Bodhi tree, which was brought from India and under the branches of which, according to legend, Prince Guatama gained enlightenment and became a Buddha. There is also a bell tower with the style of the kingdom of Lanna and a copy of the footprint of the Buddha.
🕐 Working hours
The temple is open from 08:00 to 17:00.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge.
🚶 How to get there
Located within walking distance from the city center (Phra Singh Temple on the map)
Friends, we remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Thailand with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at options with online booking and reviews on these excursion aggregators: