Lampang - Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao

Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao, built in 1680 and one of Thailand's most revered temples, is very picturesquely situated on the Menam Wang. The little bot (c. 1800) in the center, with its recently renovated central tower, is particularly worth seeing. An outstanding example of classic Burmese architecture, rich woodcarving frames the arched openings, the pillars are decorated with fine scrollwork and the imaginative and colorful relief on the magnificent coffer ceiling is inlaid with mother-of-pearl, enamel and small pieces of glass, the colors and shapes working together with the building's proportions to form a harmonious whole. Another interesting feature is the copper Buddha. The adjoining stepped building from the later Bangkok period is distinguished by beautifully carved wood inlaid with blue ceramic tiles. The wiharn at a slight distance from the main buildings holds a Buddha in the Chiang Mai style, and there is some fine carving in a small museum near the entrance.

The clay elephant in the garden serves as a reminder of the events surrounding the famous emerald Buddha. Nowadays considered the "talisman" of the Thai kingdom, and the country's most venerated object, the Buddha, which is actually made of a type of jade, was discovered in Chiang Rai in 1434, although it was probably made in Burma. Sam Fang Kaen, the king of Chiang Mai at that time, is supposed to have ordered it to be brought to his palace in a procession, but the elephant chosen to carry it bolted and made straight for Lampang, where the statue spent the next 32 years in this wat. The Buddha eventually returned to Chiang Mai in 1468 then after further travels eventually arrived in Bangkok where it has since stood, much revered, in the "Temple of the Emerald Buddha", also called Wat Phra Kaeo.