Built on the site of Queen Chama Thewi’s palace around the 11th century, Wat Phra That Hariphunchai is Lamphun’s oldest, largest and most famous temple.
Though renovated and expanded in the 15th century, it’s still one of the few places left in Thailand where you can see Mon style architecture. The bare brick Suwanna chedi was built in the 15th century, but the stepped pyramid structure with its 60 niches for standing Buddha images was modelled after the much older Mon style. However, the temple’s main chedi is a towering 46 meter tall golden structure that was built in the 15th century around a much smaller 9th century Mon stupa. The temple’s main viharn was rebuilt in 1925, but its intricate decorations, and Buddha images dating back to the 15th century still exude a historic air. Also keep an eye out for the big bronze gong - it’s believed to be the world's largest!
