The entire complex of temple buildings under the single name of Wat Phra Kaew is spread over an area of 10,640 square metres on Trairat Street in the centre of Chiang Rai. Wat Phra Kaew is the centre of the Buddhist community (sangha) of northern Thailand, and is home to educational monastic institutions as well as the leadership department.
Wat Phra Kaew is one of the oldest and most revered temples in Chiang Rai. The temple has great historical significance to the whole of Thailand. The exact date of its construction is not known.
Originally, the temple had a different name: Wat Pa Yah. Everything changed in 1434, when the octagonal chedi (stupa) on its grounds cracked from a lightning strike, revealing to the world the amazing beauty of the Emerald Buddha statue. The temple was named after the statue, "Phra Kaew."
The temple was named after the statue.
Buddhists believe that the Emerald Buddha statue is of divine origin and treat it with great reverence. It has been transported to a new location many times, and many have tried to take possession of the statue through force and power. The final travelling point of the Phra Kaew statue was the current Thai capital Bangkok in 1778, when King Rama I took it out of Laos. The Emerald Buddha statue was installed at Wata Phra Kaew in Bangkok on 22 March 1784. Thais truly believe that their state exists as long as they still have the Emerald Buddha.
Now the Phra Kaew Temple in Chiang Rai houses a skilfully crafted copy of the original Emerald Buddha statue, custom-made in 1990. In 1991, the replica statue underwent a special consecration ceremony at Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.
Within the temple grounds is the Sengkae Museum, built in 1995 in the traditional style of northern Thailand. It houses a rich collection of northern Thai art. Detailed commentaries on each exhibit in Thai and English provide full information about each piece.
